The Long Game
by maidenpride
Summary: COMPLETE: Set after the events of S3E8, this story looks to explore how the characters cope with Miss Fisher's adventure to England. In particular what journey it takes both Jack on. Our lovely heroine will be absent from the initial chapters, but no worries she loves a grand entrance. I don't own the characters but will dutiful play with them while they're on hiatus. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

Back at Miss Fisher's house, Dot was packing up the last of her things. With the sudden move of their wedding she hadn't prepared to move into Hugh's mother's house yet. As she gathered her belongings and walked out of her room she reflected on the day she moved into this house, into Miss Fisher's life. It was the first time she had ever had her own room. _I guess this is the last time I'll be alone_ Dot thought to herself as she closed the door. She was happy, giddy to be married at last to Hugh, but also felt a small pang at the loss of being Miss Fisher's companion Dotty Williams. Mr. Butler seemed to appear from nowhere causing Dot to gasp and end her reflections.

"Ready Mrs?"

"Yes, Mr. Butler." She said softly.

They walked down the stairs and when they reached the landing Dot looked up one last time before stepping outside to meet Cec and Burt. They had agreed to help her move her things in while Hugh was still at work, a small surprise for him as he had planned on helping Dot after church on Sunday. With Miss Fisher gone for an unforeseeable amount of weeks, even months perhaps it seemed that the whole household was anxious to get busy with something, anything.

Before she departed she had left them all, but one, the strictest of instructions:

Burt and Cec – Please continue to help those that can't stand up for themselves, but please try not to get into _too_ much trouble while I'm away.

Mr. Butler – Take some time and go visit your family, you deserve a break.

Hugh – Look after the Inspector while I'm away. Enjoy your honeymoon and wedded bliss!

Dot – I'm counting on you to continue sharpening your skills of detection while I'm away. Enclosed is a wonderful book on poisons that I think will be just the ticket! Don't fret while I'm away, I'll be back before you know it!

With Dot moved out, Mr. Butler would have the lonely job of throwing sheets on the chaise, piano and other furniture, putting the house on a pause until her return.

Meanwhile, the scene at City South police station was one of surprising calm. Sure there were the usual suspects down below in custody, but shockingly there hadn't been a murder since the Honorable Miss Phryne Fisher embarked on her journey to England. Sr Constable Collins sat quietly at the front desk reading up on case law, while Sr Detective Inspector Jack Robinson relaxingly read the newspaper regaling in peace and quiet. It had been true the past years with Miss Fisher have been interesting to say the least, he hadn't had much time to take a vacation and while certainly choosing to stay in Melbourne, keeping his job was _no vacation_ the momentary calm was a welcome change of pace. It had only been three days since she left, since their meeting at the runway, since her romantic overture, and while he hoped it was enough of a moment to entice her eventual return he knew he couldn't "come after her" as she challenged. She could never be pinned down. She loved the chase and that's what that was – he was in for the long game, assuming her return of course.

Jack had gone to the docks after leaving the airfield, to inquire about the cost and journey. He knew he wouldn't do well stuck on a boat for months, nothing to do but miss home and miss her. He had made his bold statement and was sure that the memory of that moment together would be enough for her to want to come back, to come after him. _Hopefully_. No, instead of the chase he was going to write to her every week she was gone, leaving her breadcrumbs to help her find her way back to him, for her to remember that moment. After all she could never resist a challenge and he fully intended to present her with one to occupy herself, idle hands were one thing, but Miss Fisher's idle hands were in another realm entirely.

Jack continued to muse and haphazardly flip through the newspaper. Constable Collins had the wireless on in the background. It had just flipped to the Australian national news, just the headlines. As the stories of the day played by Collins paused as he thought he heard something about a crash, but shuck his head as if a fly had been whizzing by his head. Before he could process the wireless, the phone rang.

"City South Police, Sr Constable Collins speaking. A murder you say? Secure the scene. We're on our way." Collins hung up the phone and poked his head into the Inspector's office.

"Sir?"

Jack looked up over the fold of his newspaper and recognized the look on the constable's face, and was up on his feet before the constable could even say:

"There's been a murder down by the docks. Looks like a foreigner newly arrived."

"Well, bring around the car Collins, let's not keep them waiting."

This would be the first time in quite some time that he would be solving a case without his partner he thought to himself, _I hope I'm not too rusty without her_.


	2. Chapter 2

To Jack, the case at the docks looked to be an open and shut case. A man on a long journey meets his former lover's new lover. A sensation Jack wasn't too unfamiliar with his ex-wife Rosie and her newly betrothed. Certainly all of his encounters with Miss Fisher's former, current, and perhaps even future lovers certainly gave him fits. In any case, it appears that the man traveled a great distance to reclaim his mistress and instead met her new mister instead. He smiled for a moment, 'open and shut,' if Miss Fisher had shown the City South Police nothing else, it was nothing is always as it seems.

"Collins?"

"Yes Sir" Hugh responded getting up from his crouched position by the body.

"What do you make of this?" The Inspector asked holding up a funny shaped button that was lying beside the victim.

"Perhaps it came off the suspect's overcoat?"

Jack turned around to the man they had in cuffs. He was wearing a heavy wool coat, which seemed a tad over dressed for this time of year, but the jacket seemed too plain to have buttons such as these.

"I wager not Collins. Check the deceased for any missing buttons or torn articles of clothing. Then release the body to the morgue. The mistress also needs to be brought in for questioning, but when you collect her please keep the reason vague for now. "

"Will do sir."

"I'm headed back to the ship" Jack gestured behind him to the newly docked _Augusta_ having arrived in port from Germany approximately eight hours ago. "I'm hoping to speak with some of the crew aboard before they make their return. While this seems put to bed, I want to make sure we tie up any loose ends. Will meet you back at the station." The Inspector turned and made his way down the docks.

With his orders given, Collins made swift work of combing through the body as instructed. There did seem to be a torn inside coat pocket, but doubtful the button came from there, but nevertheless Collins noted it. Feeling satisfied that the man had been thoroughly searched, he gestured for the medics waiting behind the milling crowd to come collect the body.

"Take him off to city morgue."

As Collins was about to turn his attention to the suspect in handcuffs, he saw something fall from the body as it was being lifted onto the stretcher and into the van.

"Wait!" Collins barked back to the medics.

Running back to the scene Collins picked up what appeared to be a small scrap of paper and put it into his notebook. He looked up for the Inspector, but he was already boarding the ship. _I'll share this when he returns._

"Alright. Constable Matthews let's get this prisoner back to the jail." Collins said motioning towards the awaiting police car.

Jack walked up the long bridge to the top deck of the ship where a member of the _Augusta_ crew greeted him.

"Sorry sir, but the ship is being prepped for its return journey, we can't allow any passengers to preboard at this time."

Jack pulled out his badge and flashed it to the crew member. "I'm not a passenger, but I am inquiring about a recently arrived passenger that was found dead a few hours ago." Jack gestured down the docks.

"Oh, sorry sir, my apologies. How may we assist you with your investigation?"

"First I'd like to verify that the deceased did indeed arrive in Australia via the _Augusta_. Then I'd like to check his stateroom and talk to any crew that may recall the gentleman."

"Well, the ship's manifest is kept in the Captain's office. I can take you there now, if you'll follow me."

Back at City South station, the two Constables ushered Jules Deroix to his cell. The man had been quiet the entire journey to the station. His eyes seemed vacant and his body suggested utter defeat. _Seems odd_ Hugh thought to himself. In the distance he heard the bell chime at the front desk. Satisfied that the prisoner had been properly secured, he returned to his post, pleasantly surprised with the visitor standing beside his desk.

"Hello Mrs. Collins!"

"Mr. Collins!"

The two newly weds smiled gleefully, enjoying the newness of marriage.

"I've brought you some lunch, I thought maybe we could go out onto the square and enjoy it together. It's such a lovely day."

"Aw Dottie, that's sweet of you, but the Inspector and I have picked up a case. I have to go pick up a person of importance for the Inspector to question when he returns. Rain check?"

"Oh well, that's alright. It's just been so quiet since Miss Fisher left for her journey, I needed to get out of the house." Pausing for a moment. "What's the case? Anything interesting?" Dot said batting her lashes.

"Not too intriguing, a man was stabbed at the docks. We already have the suspect in custody. He was found standing by the man moments after it happened."

"Oh. A dock worker scuffle then?"

"Oh no, looks to be a newly arrived visitor. Poor bloke only made it a few hundred yards before he found himself in trouble."

"Hmmm. What kind of knife was used? Seems odd that someone would stab a visitor, what would be the motive?" Dottie's wheels began turning.

"Haven't recovered the knife yet, but he probably threw it off the docks. Seems like a lovers triangle from what the bystanders overheard during the…"Hugh's voice trailed off only having just realized what Dottie was up to. "no no no Dottie, Miss Fisher is away on holiday that doesn't mean you need to get involved in any murders while she's gone." Hugh said sternly.

"Oh Hugh, I'm just trying to be interested in your day, being a supportive wife and all." Dorothy exclaimed.

"Sorry Dot. I didn't mean to upset you, I didn't mean to imply…" before he could finish Dot set down the lunch and headed to the door "Please ring if you'll be late for dinner and be safe." She said the walked out of the station.

 _Something doesn't seem all put to bed with that case_ Dot thought to herself. _Perhaps I'll just take a peek at his notebook tonight and poke around just for a minute_. She thought she could be helpful, maybe pick up on something Hugh missed and point him in the right direction. _This might be a welcome distraction. I thought life would be busier now that I was married, but any life without Miss Fisher around seems a bit dull. Speaking of Miss Fisher I wonder if anyone has heard from her yet._

Dot was somewhat surprised that she hadn't had a telegram from her former employer, from her friend since her departure. _Perhaps I should visit Mr. Butler and make sure everything is okay at the house before he leaves for his trip. Maybe he has heard from Miss Fisher._

 ** _Author's Note:_** Thank you to all those that have followed and favorited this story. I hope this second installment did not disappoint.


	3. Chapter 3

Dottie gave a light knock on the kitchen door before entering. _This feels a bit strange_.

"Mr. Butler?"

"Is that you Mrs. Collins?" Mr. Butler proclaimed as he turned the corner into the kitchen.

"Yes, and please no need for the formalities…" Dottie said blushing.

"What brings you by? Did you forget something?"

"Oh no, not that I know of at least. I just stopped by to see Hugh at the police station for lunch, but he and the Inspector have picked up a case."

"Hmm, first case without Miss Fisher eh? Well I'm sure you can be an excellent fill-in lady detective in her absence."

"Perhaps" Dottie said momentarily reflecting on the details of the last case they all worked on together.

"What can I do for you?" Mr. Butler said getting back to the reason for the visit, ever the devoted servant.

"Well, I was just wondering if you had heard from Miss Fisher since she left?"

"Now that you mention it, no I have not. Maybe she sent a telegram to the residence where I am vacationing. Have you not heard from her?"

"No we haven't. I know she's only been gone a few days, but I guess, err, I thought maybe she would have sent a note by now. Updating us on her progress, asking after the house…" Dottie's voice trailed off.

"Hmm. Has the Inspector heard from her?"

"He wasn't at the station and I haven't asked. I assumed he might have mentioned it, but perhaps not."

"Well, Miss Fisher does tend to get caught in the moment and she is traveling with her father, so I'm sure it has been quite a full journey already."

"True. Maybe I'll ask the Inspector next time I see him, just to be sure."

"I'm sure she's fine. We would have heard something if there was a problem. In the meantime, can I invite you to join me for a cup of tea?"

"Oh yes, that would be nice. I want to hear all about your travel plans!" Dot said in a slightly calmer voice, she was still worried but Mr. Butler always had a way of reassuring her.

Elsewhere, aboard the _Augusta_ , Jack was running into a few roadblocks. He had reviewed the passenger manifest and could find no such man traveling to Australia aboard the vessel.

 _Perhaps he was using a false name,_ Jack thought to himself. Turning to the crewman assisting him, "Is this a comprehensive list?" Jack knew it was but couldn't help but ask.

"Yes, with the exception of the crew."

 _Well, he wasn't dressed like a member of the crew, so I doubt he has anything to do with this ship_.

"No crew are missing?"

"When we did our counts after all the passengers disembarked everyone was present and accounted for. Some crew members are allowed a few hours off the ship while we prep for the return, so we won't know until we do our counts tomorrow morning."

"Well, if anyone does turn up missing please contact me at City South Police Station," Jack handed his card to the man, "I'll show myself out. Thank you for the assistance."

"Thank you and good luck in your investigation."

Jack headed back down to the docks _. So if he isn't associated with the vessel, what other reason could he have been down at the docks?_ Jack was anxious to get back to the station and meet with the supposed mistress involved in the love triangle. _Hopefully, she can shed some light on the situation_.

Meanwhile at the station, Hugh was struggling to track down the woman that witness claimed was mentioned in the argument between the two men. Hugh decided to go down to the cells and talk with Jules Deroix and get some clarification.

"Mr. Deroix. Please come to the door, I need to speak with you."

The man quietly rose and walked over to the cell door.

"Witnesses mentioned that you and the victim were arguing about a woman before the fight broke out. Can you tell me the name of the woman?"

The man looked up at Hugh and said nothing.

"Sir, you need to tell me the name of the woman."

The man continued to just stare at Hugh, his eyes still vacant but sad.

"I can't help you Mr. Deroix if you don't answer my questions. I need her name." Hugh said sternly in his most Inspector voice.

Finally, the man whispered almost inaudibly "Hazel Beck."

Well that explains the issue in locating the woman the witnesses heard Hazel Vick. "Thank you Mr. Deroix."

With that Hugh returned to his post and the hunt for the mistress.

A few hours later Jack arrived at the station, and noticed that Hugh was not at his post. He checked with another Constable who informed him he was out collecting a witness.

"Oh, sir, you did receive a call from the morgue while you were out." _Already_ thought Jack, _he knew Mac was good but that was extraordinary._

"What was the message?"

"To stop by when you had a moment, it seems the doctor found something unusual."

"Thank you Constable. Please let Constable Collins know I've gone to the morgue and will return shortly."

"Yes, sir."

On the other side of town Hugh was running into something unusual himself. Having sorted out the woman's name, and tracking down her residence he found no one home. He began checking with neighbors, but they all said they hadn't seen her in several days. _The Inspector is not going to be happy about this_.

At the morgue, Jack found Mac with one leg balanced on her desk and she flipped through a file in front of her.

"You rang."

Startled Mac replied "Oh yes, yes I did."

"You certainly jumped on this case, I think you may have set a record."

"Oh I'm always this fast, Phryne just beats you to the punch." Mac said with a smirk. "But yes, I noticed something odd as I was prepping him for dissection. Here around his nose and lips, see this white residue?"

"Cocaine perhaps?"

"I thought as much myself, and I've sent a sample for testing to confirm, but then there's this," Mac turned over the body and pointed out the distinct lines on the man's back.

"Consistent with levidity? He was laying on his back when we arrived."

"Perhaps, but then why are his shoes so pristine?" Mac and Jack walked over to a pile of the man's clothes. "Here see, no blood. If he was stabbed as described then there should be blood all over his shoes, but there isn't, they're clean."

"But he was stabbed, I saw the cuts."

"Yes, he was, but there wasn't as much bleeding as you would expect from a typical stabbing. Either the man wielding the knife had very bad aim and manage not to hit any major artery or organ, or the man was dead when he was stabbed."

"Well that certainly conflicts with eye witness statements. The men at the docks said they saw the two men exchanging words, which turned into shoving, and then the knife attack."

"Well as I said, it is possible the knife missed, I won't know until I do the dissection. It would help if we had the knife to compare the wounds to."

"It wasn't recovered at the scene, we suspect that it was thrown into the water."

They both looked at the man's face, puzzled by the newly emerging facts. _Phryne would have some wild supposition that would undoubtly help sort it all._ They both thought.

Mac looked at Jack, "I'm surprised you're here."

"What do you mean? You called me."

"The romantic overture."

"Ah, we're no longer talking about the case I see. And how would you know anything about romantic overtures."

Mac looked wounded, "I know plenty about romance, whether you do is certainly in question."

"I, uh, I didn't mean for it to come out that way. I, I, didn't mean to imply that 'you' don't know about romantic overtures. I just thought you were talking about Miss Fisher."

"I was."

"Then, I ask again how do you know about that?"

"She told me of course. Also it's written all over your face."

"Ah." Jack felt a bit betrayed that Phryne would have said something to anyone about their overtures.

Mac continued, "You aren't going to follow her?"

"She asked me to come after her. But I can't. I won't."

"Too full of pride?"

"No, not that. I don't want to be another one of her conquests. I'm not after a tryst that may last a few days, maybe even weeks. I want her for always. Chasing after her is just that a chase. She'll never respect me if I come chasing after her like a dog after a fox."

Mac was about to say something, but realized Jack was probably right about all of it.

"Have you heard from her since she left?" Mac said instead.

"No. Have you?"

"No, but you know how flightly she can be." They both grinned at the pun.

"Indeed. I'm sure she has her hands full with the Baron in any case."

"Too true. Quite a journey for anyone to make, but to do it with the Baron, she'll deserve the distinguished flying cross!"

On a whim, perhaps motivated by loneliness Jack asked Mac, "Would you be interested in joining me for dinner this evening? I mean, no strings or anything. Just friends, if you're…"

Mac happily interrupted Jack's rambling, "I'd love to."

"I have to return to the station to meet up with a person of interest, but let's say 6?"

"Sounds fine. Good afternoon Inspector."

"Goodbye Dr. Macmillian."


	4. Chapter 4

Reflecting on the conversation he had just had with Dr. Macmillan Jack decided it was time to leave his first breadcrumb. He began composing it while driving back to the station, he knew the case required his attention but if he didn't get this on to paper first he was certain he wouldn't be able to focus.

Arriving at City South, the Inspector found Constable Collins dutifully at his post.

"Collins, I've returned. Where is our mistress?"

"Ah, well, um, about that sir…"

"Yes."

"Well first there was a problem with the girl's name, and then I finally got Deroix to give up the name."

"Get to the point Collins."

"Well sir, when I went to her residence to pick her up she wasn't there."

"Did you check with her employer?"

"Well no sir not yet. But her neighbors did say that they haven't seen her in several days."

"Hmm, that presents a quandary. Go check with her employer and see if you can collect any other information on her whereabouts. Perhaps she has gone to visit family, check that avenue as well. I'll be in my office."

"Yes sir."

Jack entered his office and shut the door. He needed some privacy to effectively execute this breadcrumb. He got a piece of paper and began drafting his thoughts.

 _Dear Miss Fisher,_

 _It's been three days since you began your journey, and I imagine that if you're looking to best Smith's record you're already to the exotic land of India. A land full of a certain kind of passion, a century's old practice that brings passion to new heights._

 _I imagine it is safe to assume that you've managed to not throttle your father just yet, consider him motivation to become the first aviatrix to make the journey from Australia to England._

 _This journey is one that must be completed on one's own, perhaps this experience will bring you the peace you desire, the acceptance of the flaws of man. It occurs to me that perhaps the reason you thrill at the freedom of a man's company is the knowledge that you've protected yourself from more than just an errant family._

 _In any case I'm proud of you, but I will not come after you. I will however be the first to meet you on the runway at the completion of your journey._

 _"Journeys end in lovers meeting"_

 _Yours,_

 _Jack_

He re-read the note, happy with the touch of sexual innuendo, but more importantly the blunt review into her psyche. _Making her raw is the only chance we have._

Jack looked up at the clock and realized it was nearly time to meet with Dr. Macmillan. He grabbed an envelope and tucked the letter into his coat pocket. He stepped out of his office, turned out the light, and made his way to the post box.

Several minutes later Jack arrived at the restaurant punctual as usual, only to find Dr. Macmillan already seated.

"I'm sorry, were you waiting long?"

"No, no I just prefer to be punctual."

"Ah a trait after my own heart. It seems that our mutual friend does not share that tendency."

"Oh God no, she was born late! But she does make up for her lack of punctuality with other traits…no?" Mac was baiting him but Jack immediately picked up on it.

"Indeed." Jack let that fall for now.

The waitress stopped by to fill their wine glasses and take their dinner orders. They laughed, shared stories of their lives, and eventually the evening turned to back to Phryne.

"I've given your notion some thought Inspector, and I agree with your plan. Her time in Paris has caused her more damage then she would care to let on, or even perhaps recall. No doubt our Phryne is for women's rights, but I do believe that there is an element of cloaking going on."

"Cloaking?"

"Yes, using her feminist pedestal to justify her notion that one can't be happy with just one person. Mind you I'm not necessarily saying that even if she dealt with her past she would change, but it is an interesting theory."

"I had wondered if there was more than meets the eye with her time in Paris. Gallivanting with artists, writers, and thespians sounds thrilling, but she occasionally has a look in her eye that suggests something deeper, something scaring."

"She will always be after the fleeting moments, the chase as you called it until she deals with her issues with men." Mac paused, "Ironic don't you think?"

"How's that?"

"Well, she clearly thrives on the companionship that Dot has brought to her life and now that's changed, but she couldn't be happier at the union. She's flying her father back to England to avoid her parents getting a separation, when she herself has said on more than one occasion that she wished he would just disappear from their lives. For someone who seems quite against companionship she certainly does seem to fight for it. Even her trysts seem to suggest someone that desperately wants to be wanted, to not be alone."

"Quite intriguing, you've clearly given this some thought."

"She is one of my closest and dearest friends and I only want what's best for her – the trouble is getting her to see what's right in front of her…" Mac said staring down Jack.

Jack found this conversation quite enlightening and was beginning to kick himself for not thinking of spending more time with Mac before this, but he was getting a tad uncomfortable with the discussion. Even though Phryne wasn't here he some how felt that he was exposing her. Before he could say anything in response, they were interrupted with waitress notifying them that the restaurant was closing.

"Oh, apologies Miss." Jack said grabbing his hat and coat.

Out front of the restaurant the friends bid each other goodnight, and went off into the night to ponder what would come of their lives once Phryne returned. For now they would continue in a state of suspension as life without Phryne Fisher wasn't much of a life.


	5. Chapter 5

The following day the Inspector and Constable Collins began their search for the missing mistress. Hugh had gone to her employer to ask about her whereabouts, but surprisingly he hadn't seen her in a few days either. When asked why he hadn't reported it, he implied that she was flaky and always going on about different suitors who were going to whisk her away from her lot in life.

Mac too was also hitting a bit of a wall with our victim. It seemed she was right after all, the stabs wounds weren't life threatening. They weren't very deep and seemed to have avoided anything important – given the rotundness of the man it wasn't hard for her to imagine that a 2 ½ cm wound wouldn't have been enough to penetrate past his layer of adipose tissue.

It seemed that they had all hit a wall, and given they had no idea what the cause of death was they didn't have enough evidence to hold Mr. Deroix any longer, the Inspector was forced to release him.

"Mr. Deroix. You're free to go, for now."

The man got up and slowly approached the cell door.

"I would advise you to not leave town and make yourself available for any further questioning. And if you happen to hear from Miss Beck please call the station immediately."

The Inspector opened the cell door and the man walked away without saying a word. He nodded towards the Inspector in small acknowledgement, and disappeared up the stairs.

 _Well where do we go from here._ Jack thought.

"Where's Miss Fisher when you need her? Right sir?" Declared Constable Collins.

While Jack was also beginning to think the same thing, he also found himself a bit perturb with the Constable's declaration, "Constable, this police force has been solving crimes long before Miss Fisher arrived and will continue to solve them long after she's gone. We've come to rely on her less than legal tactics for far too long. No, Constable, I think it is high time you start earning that extra stripe and do some through research and investigation into this case."

The Constable's face dropped.

"Uh, yes sir. Of course sir. I didn't mean to imply…" The Constable tried to stammer out, but the Inspector had already headed for the stairs.

 _Perhaps that was a bit harsh, but it's true we both need to relearn how to solve cases without the Honorable Miss Fisher in tow._ Jack still felt a bit put out and decided to take his hat and head out for a walk to clear his head. _Have I done the right thing by not going after her? Have I lost my chance? What if she doesn't come back?_

At the train station, Dot met up with Cec and Burt to see off Mr. Butler.

"Have a safe trip Mr. B" said Burt

"Yeah, we'll keep an eye on the house while you're gone" chimed in Cec.

"Dorothy, please keep an eye on these two, I fear they may turn the house into meeting place for the next uprising." Chuckled Mr. Butler.

Dot smiled, but her eyes began to well up. _First Miss Fisher and now Mr. Butler_.

"Oh Dorothy, it's only for a few weeks. I'll be back before the spring festival in October."

"I know, it's just with you and Miss Fisher gone…" Dot tried to continue but tears had begun falling from her cheek.

Mr. Butler gently lifted her chin, wiped away the tear and said, "You've got Hugh, Cec, Burt, and the Inspector to look after. Miss Fisher is counting on you." He looked into her eyes the way he has so many times when they would have their talks, and suddenly she felt better.

The train horn rang signaling it was time to get aboard. Mr. Butler walked up to the 3rd class cabin, handed his ticket to the conductor and waved to his friends on the platform.

"Bye."

"Have a lovely trip."

"So long."

The three cheered over the train horn as it began pulling away from the station.

Back at the station, Constable Collins was trying to pull himself up by his bootstraps. He knew the Inspector was right. _If I ever want to be come a Detective myself I need to prove I really know how to investigate_. Since he wasn't getting anywhere on the disappearance of Miss Hazel Beck he decided to go back to victim. He figured a visit to Dr. Macmillan at the morgue would be the best place to start. While that was one of his least favorite places, perhaps there was something they've all been overlooking.

Jack meanwhile found himself walking through a nearby park. He was struggling with the urge to visit the local pub for a pint. _Missing her physically hurts_. _It's only been four days mate, pull yourself together. What if she is gone for a month or two, or even worse she stays in London._ Jack shook his head, _I can't think like that if I think she is never coming back I'm not sure how I'll get through each day._

It hurt when Rosie asked for a separation. It was only supposed to be a trial separation until they could sort things out, figure out how to be together again. He knew though that once he moved into a flat they would never be right, even if they stayed together. It was nine years after the war ended and try as he could he couldn't find happiness at her tea dances and dinner parties. He tried to explain to her that you can't unsee war, and while she said she understood she couldn't. After awhile she seemed to expect him to just forget the war and move on. While in some ways he had, he dove into his work, being faced with brutal crimes every day was merely an extension of the war itself. For him it provided some comfort dealing with murders, if he seemed melancholy or aloof people expected it he was a police officer even if perhaps the reason for the sadness was more traumatic. Many men were unlucky that way, they came home and tried to go back to their jobs at the factory or docks and couldn't cope. In any case, it seemed Rosie had decided she could no longer cope with someone that wasn't as thrilled with life as she was. As their trial separation grew from two weeks to a month to three he tried to talk to Rosie about their future. She would push back and say this wasn't the time or place, or various other excuses. So it was no surprise when she told him six months into the trial separation that she thought they should make the separation more permanent, see other people perhaps. It was during this time that the Honorable Miss Phryne Fisher appeared in his crime scene, in his life. While it seemed easy enough for Rosie to walk away from their marriage and see other men socially, he couldn't. He made a commitment and until such time as that commitment had been dissolved he would continue practicing his vows. Miss Fisher entering his life certainly didn't help. She was beguiling, irritating, intelligent, and an all-around frustrating siren. From the day he met her he didn't know whether he should kiss her and walk away into the sunset or pick her up and place her on the next ferry far away from his crime scenes. It was she that taught him that while horrible tragedies impact our lives and are carried with us forever, it doesn't have to come at the expense of living. A concept he continued to struggle with daily. He was disappointed and felt like a failure when his marriage ended, he should have been able to make it work. He felt guilty as well because part of him was glad, it meant he was free to pursue _other_ interests. But Phryne's departure hurt him more than Rosie's request for a divorce. It hurt more than any physical or emotional wounds on the battleground.

At the end of his walk Jack decided to pay a visit to Mac. With Phryne gone he had lost his best friend, his confidant, and he felt as though he needed to be in the company of someone who could snap him out of this melancholy he found himself in.


	6. Chapter 6

"Hello Dr. Macmillan."

"Hello Dorothy, what a pleasant surprise. I didn't expect to see you here."

"Yes, well I thought with Miss Fisher away I might keep honing my skills as a detective."

"Sounds like a marvelous idea. What can I do for you?"

"Well, I understand that the Inspector has picked up a case recently. A man that was killed at the docks."

"Yes, we are still working on cause of death unfortunately."

"That's what I wanted to discuss. I flipped through Hugh's notes last night and the story just sounded all wrong."

"As you can see here," she lifted up the sheet covering the body, "there were three stab wounds none deep and none by any vital organs. It seems that while being stabbed may not have been helpful it wasn't the reason he died."

"What about the powder you found on the face?"

"You're in luck, the chemist returned the report this morning. The tests were negative for cocaine. It seems like a harmless cosmetic powder."

"What about the stripes to his back?"

"Also a bit of a mystery. My best guess at the moment is that he had Lichen Planus. It's a skin disorder that can appear on the lower back and follow a linear pattern like these. They're based on Blaschko's lines, the invisible stripes we all have on our skin."

"Is it fatal?"

"No not usually, and his case appears quite mild."

"I guess I was hoping that you suspected poison. Miss Fisher gave me a book before she left about toxins and poisons and it seems there are some that could cause the skin lesions here. I suppose I still need some mentoring from Miss Fisher."

"Well Dorothy poisoning may not be entirely out of the realm of possibility. However, I had the chemist check for arsenic, lead, and cyanide when he tested the white powder. I too had a similar suspicion that if it wasn't drugs it must be something else that killed him."

"Did anything else show up in the autopsy findings that might suggest cause of death?"

"It seems he was a heavy smoker and drinker. His lungs, liver, and heart all looked damaged. It is quite possible this is a simple case of heart attack."

"Thank you, I should let you get back to your work."

Before Dr. Macmillan could respond or Dot walk away the door to the morgue opened.

"Excuse me, Dr. Macmillian. Could I trouble you for a moment to answer some questions?" Hugh said not yet registering that Dot was standing to the right side of the doorway.

"Of course Constable, anything to assist with the case. I'm not sure what else I could offer that hasn't already been shared with the Inspector though. As I was telling your wife…"

Hugh suddenly realized that Dot was there, "Dottie what are you doing here?"

Thinking quickly, "Oh well I was inviting Dr. Macmillan to come dine with us this Friday evening. You will come won't you?"

Dr. Macmillan also quickly picking up on the fact that Dot didn't want Hugh to know she was looking into the case replied, "Yes, of course that would be lovely."

"I'll see you at home, phone if you'll be late for dinner please." Dorothy gave him a quick peck on the cheek and walked out before Hugh could inquire anymore into the situation.

It took Collins a moment to collect himself, but then he turned to Dr. Macmillan to follow-up on his questions.

Meanwhile as Dottie made her way down the stairs of the hospital she found herself running into the Inspector.

"Oh, I'm sorry sir!" she exclaimed reaching for the book that fell after their collision.

"No harm done Miss Will, err, Mrs. Collins."

"The Great Gatsby. Miss Fisher owns a copy as well. I haven't read it myself, is it a good read." She inquired as she handed him the book back.

"Yes, quite actually. And don't worry it doesn't violate any of the decency laws that some of Miss Fisher's other works of literature might." They both chuckled. "What brings you to the hospital, everything alright?"

"Oh yes, of course. I just wanted to pay a visit to Dr. Macmillan and invite her over for dinner. With Miss Fisher gone I thought she might like some company."

"Right, right. Well that's very kind of you." The Inspector felt a bit slighted, no one had invited him over and he was more upset than anyone that Phryne was away.

Dorothy could since a change in the Inspector's demeanor, "Hugh tells me you've picked up a case. I imagine you're quite busy just now but perhaps once it's solved we could all go out and celebrate the case – like old times?"

"Hmm, yes quite a puzzling case. I'm actually headed to speak with Mac about some of her findings now. Perhaps if we solve it we can arrange for dinner or something."

Sensing that he was in a hurry to continue on with his mission she excused herself and also noted the reference to "Mac" as opposed to "Dr. Macmillan."

"Best of luck with the case Inspector. Good day."

"Good day Mrs. Collins."

When the Inspector finally made his way to Mac's office he was quite surprised to find Constable Collins leaning over the body on her table. _He hates the morgue why on earth is he here?_

"Sorry, did I miss a message?" The Inspector said crassly as away of announcing himself to the Constable.

"Oh, no sir. I just thought I would come ask the doctor some questions about the case. It seems that our victim…"

Jack interrupted, "yes Collins I'm familiar with Dr. Macmillan's findings and the most recent lab report."

"Well sir" Collins was taken aback by the Inspector's tone, "since we cannot locate Miss Beck I thought I would go back to our victim and see if there were any other details that might help us break the case."

Despite that being one of the reasons why Jack was there he was fuming at the Constable, "Perhaps time would be better spent if you canvased the docks, local pubs, and the like and see if anyone else knows our victim."

"Yes sir." The Constable left the morgue feeling defeated and confused by the Inspector's harsh tone of late.

"Well that was going a bit overboard wasn't it Jack." Mac said trying to sort out what she just witnessed between Jack and Hugh.

The Inspector looked up at her to respond but nothing came out. Finally he said "I apologize for my outburst."

"Fine by me, but I think it's poor Hugh that you owe the apology to. What's going on? This seems quite out of character for you."

Suddenly all the worries Jack had been mulling to himself in the park had come flooding out "I'm upset. I'm doubting my decision not to follow her. I'm worried, it's been several days now and we haven't heard anything from her. Not one telegram."

"Well if something dreadful had happened I'm sure her mother or one of her pilot contacts would have reached out by now. Despite her flighty nature she is a seasoned pilot. She had a detailed flight plan and intended to radio ahead prior to each departure so the runway would know when to expect her. I'm sure she's fine. Henry maybe not" she chuckled but could see that this wasn't calming the poor Inspector's nerves, "have you tried sending her a telegram?"

"…No…" he responded looking down at his feet a bit ashamed that as an investigator he hadn't done a thorough job of reaching out or checking into his fears.

"Well, first order of business then is to get a telegram off. Next, we are going to my flat to work on improving this mood of yours with your Constable."


	7. Chapter 7

"Jack you really need to calm yourself. Here have a drink."

The pair had gone to the telegram office and back to Mac's flat for a drink. She had flipped the wireless on just for some background noise when they caught the end of the evening news report.

"…and the search is still underway in Perth for the pilot of the plane that went down outside of Perth. In Sydney, parliament was reviewing the latest legislation on reform…"

"Before you go and jump to any unsubstantiated conclusions Inspector might we wait for all the facts to come in."

"Fact 1: We have not heard from her since she departed. Fact 2: She was due to land in Perth before continuing on to Singapore and then India. Fact 3: There's been a plane crash. I hardly think that is a leap to think that could be her, Mac." Jack said frantically while pacing about the flat.

"While I do not dispute the facts, we also have no reason to think that the plane was hers. They did say they were searching for the pilot, there was no mention of a passenger nor the type of aircraft."

"I'm going back to the station to put in some calls to the local station in Perth."

"I'm coming with you. Someone needs to keep you from doing something foolish."

Meanwhile, Constable Collins who was continuing to try and find a way to get back on the Inspector's good side continued his inquiry into the missing Miss Beck and gathering information on their victim. By all accounts the recently deceased was in good standing with the community, he hadn't been in Australia long and mostly kept to himself but had managed to stay out of trouble. People hardly even remembered him, let alone could fathom a reason why someone would want him dead. As Collins walked up the street back to Miss Beck's residence he saw a commotion outside. Running down the street with baton in one hand he hollered out to the crowd, "Oye. Break it up."

"Constable there's a man in there lying face down! I think he's dead!" The woman pointed at the window. Hugh peered in and did take notice of what appeared to be a man laying on the floor. He preceded to break down the door to gain entrance. The man was lying motionless on the floor. Hugh reached down to feel for a pulse, but there was none. The man was dead. The crowd was continuing to gather outside the door and Hugh realized he needed to get back up to disperse the crowd and get ahold of the Inspector. He looked around the room but couldn't find a telephone which seemed odd. He went back outside to the woman who first alerted him to the crime scene and asked her to telephone City South police station and ask for Detective Inspector Robinson, while he secured the scene.

As the Inspector walked into the station, the Constable on duty informed him that Constable Collins had phoned and there was a situation involving a body near Miss Beck's residence.

"He's asked that you come at once."

"Who else is on duty Constable?"

The man looked at the roster sheet, "Inspector Heath, sir."

"Please telephone Heath and ask him to go."

"But sir."

"Constable do as I say, that's an order." Jack said gruffly as he went it his office and slammed the door. Moments later Mac entered the station and followed him into his office.

Jack was looking everywhere for the stack of newspapers that had been in his office. He hadn't gone through them since they picked up the case at the docks.

"Where are they?"

"Where is what?"

"The paper. Surely there would be more details about a crash."

Unable to locate the papers he went back out into the lobby, "Constable where are the newspapers that were in my office?"

"The janitor staff has already come through this evening sir, I believe they through them in the bin."

Jack was about to head out the back to search through the cans to find the papers, "I do have my personal copy of today's paper sir if you need it."

"Yes Constable please. Thank you." He passed over the newspaper and Jack returned to his office. He began feverishly flipping through the sections 'Headlines, Local News, Sports, Gossip' looking for the National pages. Finally finding it he scanned up and down looking for some mention of the downed plane in Perth, but everything seemed to be about the latest legislative agenda. Frustrated he through the paper on the floor, put his head in his hands and started shaking. Mac who was standing in the corner of the office watching this unfold finally stepped forward. She placed a hand on his back and the Inspector as if just realizing that there was someone else in the room began to lightly weep.

"What am I going to do without her Mac?"

"Right now Jack you're going to get up and get that Constable to give you the number to the Perth station. Then we are going to call them together and inquire into the crash. We still don't know it's her and even if it is she's a fighter there's no way something like a silly little crash is going to keep the great and honorable Phryne Fisher from doing as she pleases. One thing at a time Jack, one thing at a time."

Constable Collins was surprised to see Inspector Heath walk through the door.

"Where's Inspector Robinson?" quickly adding "Sir."

"He's assigned me the case Constable Collins. So what do we have here? Looks like he keeled over, maybe a heart attack?"

"I'm not sure sir, he does seem a bit young for that."

"What do we know so far?"

"I was walking down the street to check on a missing person of interest for a murder case that the Inspector and I are investigating when I noticed a crowd gathered out front. When I came up on the scene a woman explained that there appeared to be a man dead inside. The door was locked so I broke it down. Upon checking the body I realized he was dead and got in touch with the station, then secured the scene."

"Good work Constable. Do we know who he is?"

"His pockets were empty, but I didn't want to flip him over until the medical staff had arrived."

"Ok well let's get them in here and flip him over so we can see what we are dealing with."

Moments later they had the body rolled over and the Constable gave a gasp.

"What is it?"

"That's Jules Deroix. He was just released from custody, we didn't have enough evidence to hold him for the murder at the docks."

"Well isn't that interesting."

"I need to get to the station and inform the Inspector. He'll want to know that our prime suspect has turned up dead."


	8. Chapter 8

"Constable, get me the city station in Perth."

"Of course Inspector. To what case should I say this is regarding?"

"No case. I'm looking for information on a friend."

"Oh do you know the missing pilot? They haven't released a lot of details in the paper about the incident though, but perhaps you served together."

"What?"

"Sorry sir, being a bit presumptious. I just assumed you were calling about the RAAF pilot that crashed in Perth and is reporting missing, when you said it was about a friend. I'll go ahead and get them on the telephone for you."

Jack was still puzzled, "RAAF pilot?"

"Yes sir, apparently a Captain in the RAAF has gone missing as has his plane."

Jack's brain was running a thousand miles a minute to try and catch up with this information being provided by his Constable. _So the missing plane belongs to a man, belongs to a military man, not my Phryne._

"On second thought Constable, hold off on that call for now."

"Yes sir." The Constable seemed equally puzzled by the whole conversation, _Constable Collins must have had some paranormal powers if he followed the Inspector's train of thought_.

Jack went back into his office, Mac was there awaiting news of what she thought had been a phone conversation with the police in Perth. Jack shut the door.

"Well what is it? What news?"

"It's a man."

"Huh?"

"The pilot in the plane crash it was a man. A military man." Jack said almost gleefully before he realized the inappropriateness of being happy it was someone else that may have lost their loved one. "What I mean is that it was an RAAF pilot whose plane went down it couldn't have been Miss Fisher."

"See Jack, just as I said no need to get into a panic without all the facts. She wasn't involved in the plane crash and is well on her way to London." Mac said that as much to convince Jack as herself, while she would hardly admit it to herself she had found herself in a state of anxiety over her friend.

"Why don't we go grab a drink and wind down from this harrowing day?"

"A reasonable idea Mac." He paused on his way out of the station, "Why do you suppose we haven't heard anything from her?"

A few minutes later, Constable Collins arrived at the station looking for the Inspector.

"Where's Inspector Robinson?"

"He and the Doctor just left a few minutes ago. You know Constable I'm not sure how you've managed to work with him for so long. I don't want to speak out of turn but he's a hard man to read. He asks for one thing and then two minutes later decides he doesn't want that anymore." He shook his head and continued with his reports.

"What did he ask about? Was it the case?"

"No, he wanted me to call the station in Perth to inquire about his friend. When I asked if it was about the missing pilot he turned pale like a sheet. He seemed quite confused when I asked if they had served together during the war. I think he thought the pilot was someone else, but it's been all over the news. Then suddenly he said he wanted me to cancel the call and went back in his office. Quite odd if you ask me."

"Miss Fisher!" Hugh exclaimed. _So that is what's been bothering him, he thought Miss Fisher was the one in the plane crash._ Hugh was kicking himself for not seeing the signs, he had acted the same way when he called the Inspector after the motorcar crash last year.

"Who?"

Hugh had forgotten that the other Constable was in the room, "Oh nevermind. I'll try and catch up with him tomorrow regarding the case. Goodnight."


	9. Chapter 9

After a week had past since her departure Jack and company still hadn't heard a word from Miss Fisher. The case had stalled, and Jack was growing more and more taciturn even Mac's words were falling on deaf ears.

"C'mon Jack, you've been in your office for the last two days, you need to go home and rest." Mac said, "maybe shower…"she added in a muttered voice.

Mac was about to continue with her doctorly rant about taking care of oneself, when Jack suddenly jumped up from his chair. It was the first move she had seen him take in the last 10 minutes and was admittedly startled. He said nothing, but grabbed his coat and hat making his way to the door. "ah good I see I've finally gotten through, how about we grab a sandwich at the pub across the street." Jack's face looked blank, his eyes were a million miles away, it was possible he wasn't even aware that Mac had been in his office for the past several minutes. He was a man on a mission.

Mac followed him out, but before she could catch up to him he had jumped into a cab. _Well I hope he is headed home for some rest, I'll check in on him before my rounds in the morning._

The next day Mac stopped by the Inspector's flat and knocked on the door several times, no answer. She peered into the window and saw some clothes scattered around, but no sign of the Inspector. _Men just can't keep clean without some feminine assistance…_ Mac mused to herself. _I guess he's gone back to the station, I'll give a ring later and see if he wants to get a drink or something._

Across town, Dot walked into the station and greeted Hugh with a kiss on the cheek. He had forgotten his lunch and had plans of her own to do some digging into their mysterious death at the docks.

"Hugh, I love you, but you are one of the most forgetful people I know."

"Thanks Dottie. I would have remember when my stomach startled to grumble." He chuckled back.

"Any news on you missing mistress or the death of Mr. Deroix?"

"We are waiting for the final report from Dr. Macmilian on the autopsy results, but her initial findings didn't show any foul play, but it seems quite coincidental that our primary suspect ends up dead a few hours after he was released."

"Definitely curious. What does the inspector think?"

Hugh looked down the hallway to make sure the Inspector's door was closed, and in a hushed tone lest he hear "You know Dottie, I don't think he is really focused on this case. His mind seems to be elsewhere."

"Given Miss Fisher's departure I'm not surprised he's been a bit moody" before Dot could finish her thought Hugh straightened up like he had a board glued to his back. Dottie turned around to be greeted with an irritated looking man in a fine suit.

"Sir. How can…"

"Where is the Inspector?"

"Well his office is just there sir, but I haven't seen him come in yet. Perhaps I could take a message or help?"

"I've been telephoning him all morning with no response. It is imperative that you have him call me the minute his arrives."

"Yes sir, understood sir. May I ask what this is regarding?"

"No, you may not."

And with that the man turned and walked out in a huff.

"Who was that Hugh?"

"That was the assistant commissioner."

"What do you think he wanted?"

"I would guess it is about the case we are working, but I can't imagine why these deaths could be of interest to the AC. I better go see if I can track down the Inspector." He gave Dot a kiss and grabbed his helmet and walked her out of the station.

With Hugh busy looking for the Inspector, Dot decided to make stop at Dr. Macmillian's office before she went back to Miss Beck's residence looking for clues.

When she arrived she found Mac buried in a stack of reports, she knocked and cleared her throat a few times but the good doctor seemed entranced by her studies. She reached out and tapped her shoulder causing Mac to jump from her chair. "Sorry I didn't mean to give you a fright but you didn't seem to hear me knocking."

Mac caught her breath, "Oh Dot it isn't a problem. I just got the report back from our first body. I did some more digging into the mysterious lines to verify my findings and it seems that he was poisoned after all."

"Well that is a possible break in the case that should cheer up the inspector, if Hugh can find him that is…"

"What do you mean find the Inspector? Where has he gone?"

"Well…um..I'm not sure. The assistant commissioner came in looking for the Inspector this morning. He said he had been trying to reach him all morning."

Mac's eyes got big as she quickly pieced together the observations of the last two days. "I don't think Hugh is going to find him here in Victoria." Mac said quietly.

"Why not?"

Before Mac could respond, Dot's eyes also grew wide realizing that there could only be one reason, one person that could make the Inspector leave his post.

"Did he get a letter from her? What prompted his departure? Is there some news?" Dot suddenly started letting her mind race.

"No, not that I'm aware of. As far as I know, none of us have heard from her since she left a week ago. She should be nearly to London by now."

Both women paused in silence pondering the Inspector's actions. _Maybe he did it, maybe he is coming after her_.


	10. Chapter 10

Sorry for the delays in getting back to my work, school comes first. I'm finding that rewatching some of my favorite MFMM episodes remind me that loveislove and that the horrors of Orlando can never win.

This chapter I finally bring you Miss Fisher, she's been absent until now but we are going to start picking up her thread now. I also tried to add a touching moment and dedicate this to those whose lives have been tragically cut short, those who were enjoying love and friendship.

The previous night…

Jack left the station and walked to his flat with great purpose. Once arriving at home, he dug out his suitcase from the closet, causing a tennis racket and football to come crashing down on him. He made quick work of collecting some trousers, shirts, and other personal effects and throwing them into the case. He grabbed his hat, took another quick look around the flat and walked out.

He looked down at his watch realizing he only had about 30 minutes to catch the midnight train. _No time to stop and place a call. I'll have to call in tomorrow morning_.

One week ago, in Perth, Phryne and her father had touched down at the airfield having completed the first leg of their journey. The plane idled its way down the end of the runway, as it came to a stop the Baron had already begun to climb out.

"Father don't you know that you're supposed to stay put until the plane has come to a full and complete stop? Honestly!"

"Get me out of this bloody tin can! How many more days of this wretched contraption do I have to suffer through? Perhaps you could put me on a boat back to England from here?" He mused hopefully.

"As I've already explained, you can't be trusted to get back to England without proper supervision. Had you gotten on the first boat, you wouldn't be flying home. Let that be a lesson." She said removing her goggles and securing the plane. The baron rolled his eyes and began to walk up the air strip, hoping to find a stiff drink to calm his nerves. Phryne remained with her plane giving it a once over. _She handled the first leg marvelously_ Phryne said to her self giving the wing a slight caress. She spotted her father making haste, and assumed she best follow lest he disappear again. _Honestly I should put him on a leash the way he wanders off_.

As she followed after him she paused to look up, breathing in the fresh air and warm sun on her face. She had been to Perth once before and found it to be a charming city. _Jack would like it here. The air smells different here a touch of salt in the breeze._ She unconsciously reached up and spun around the tiny sparrow pinned to her flight scarf. She found herself missing him more than she thought she would, after all she was a woman of adventure and living life both in the moment and to the fullest. She had never let anyone hold her back _Janey…on second thought_. She removed her flight cap and shook out her hair, shaking a way the silly feeling nagging her in the gut.

Back on the train, Jack struggled to sleep finding himself restless. He looked out the compartment window, darkness. It was a moonless night and the stars shown bright in the sky. As he looked across the dark horizon his thoughts drifted to The Dark Lady. The beautiful thing about stars is that no matter where we are we can look upon the heavens and know we are staring up together, he had told her. _I wonder if she's looking up now_. Almost immediately after that thought his heart warmed, almost as if to say yes I'm here with you Jack. He closed his eyes and allowed that warm feeling to flood over him as he drifted off for some brief sleep. It would be a long journey to Perth, and he needed to rest he wasn't sure what he would find when he arrived.

Out side the airfield where Phryne had been staying for the past week, she had finally sat down to rest. Her eyes tired and heavy, her muscles ached. She took a sip of tea, soaking up the smell of chamomile hoping it might lighten her nerves. It was going to be dawn soon and she would need to be ready to suit up again. For now she looked up into the sky. It was so dark that the stars twinkled and danced in the sky. _"A star danced and under that I was born"_ Phyrne mused thinking of the quote. Jack loved Shakespeare and quoted it to her often. This quote she enjoyed for many reasons, in part for the moment that Jack uttered this one to her.

After foiling the murderous Murdock Foyle, she was left feeling empty. She had hoped that finding Janey and putting Foyle away (or in this case gone) for good would have filled the massive hole in heart, but it hadn't. She had a house full of guests here to celebrate her birthday and all she wanted to do was cry in her room. Unlike her yes, but a lifetime of emotion was boiling over. "It was supposed to be me Jack." She had said. If her father hadn't messed up the birth certificates it would have been, it should have been…To which Jack quickly replied, "Never think that Phryne. It was a terrible, tragedy and no one _should_ have died. Don't despise your birthday because of what Foyle turned it into in his sadistic mind. For 'a star danced and under that _you_ were born' and for that we are incredibly lucky to have you in our lives, my life." He brushed a lock her hair aside and lightly lifted up her chin staring at her intently. She looked back at him with the same tenderness, under happier circumstances this moment would have led to a moment of passion.

She looked back to the stars and wondered where Jack was at that moment. Wondering, hoping that he too was looking skyward. She finished her tea, blew a kiss and went back inside exhaustion driving her to a brief slumber.


	11. Chapter 11

After a few uncomfortable days aboard the train from Melbourne to Perth, Jack had finally arrived at his destination. What that destination meant was a little less concrete than the station itself. As he stood up his back ached, while this was a sleeper train the comfort left something to be desired. He grabbed his go-bag, a hold over from his days in the Army, and as he peered out the cabin window he wondered what he had gotten himself into. _Where am I even going to start? I have no letter or address for where she might be staying, I don't even know if she's still here._

xx

Phryne finished her toast and coffee. After days of searching she thought she had finally caught a glimpse of where the plane went down, some disturb trees. She planned to go back first thing, but even she had to relent to a break. Her trusty steed was in need of some tending as did she, though she would never admit it. She was running low on supplies, she had planned to be in India by now and had arranged for supplies to be picked up at each of her stops.

"George?"

"Yes, Miss?"

"Can I borrow your bike for an hour this morning? I need to run into town."

The man thought about the request for a moment, a motorcycle was not a proper means of transportation for a lady, but neither was a plane, "Yes Miss, just watch out the clutch is a bit sticky. I've been meaning to fix it."

"So noted. Thanks George be back in a bit."

She popped on the bike and rode off, her first venture out since she arrived in Perth. She took a deep breath, _The fresh air did wonders to rejuvenate_. The last two weeks had taken quite the emotional toll, dealing with her father, leaving Jack, searching endless for wreckage she was never one to stop. Once Miss Fisher got something into her mind she wouldn't relent until it was resolved to her satisfaction, but she knew that the search and rescue could only go on for so long. Surviving the outskirts of Western Australia this long was a challenging task even for someone with survival experience. At some point it would become a search and recovery mission, and she shuttered to think that if that bares no fruit that the search would be called off entirely. She didn't want to give up and she wouldn't, her heart would tell her when it was time.

xx

Jack stepped off the train and took a deep breath, it was a refreshing breath after the stale air of the train cabin. The sun shone brightly in the sky even though it was the end of winter the air felt warm with a touch of salt to the taste. Under different circumstances he could imagine taking a holiday here. He looked around the platform looking for the exit onto the streets. He wasn't sure whether he should walk the city or take a cab or what to do next. _Treat it like you would any investigation Jack. Gather the facts_. With another deep breath he decided to catch a cab and ask to be taken to the nearest airport.

xx

Phryne drove down the street past the rail station, pausing a glance at the new arrivals with smiles on their faces. Happy to be home, happy to be visiting someone, happy to be on holiday, just happy. It made her smile for a moment, remembering her own adventure on a train with the good inspector. _My that was so long ago, how far we've come_. She turned the corner away from the station and parked up the road at the general store. Across the street she noticed a telegram office it had finally dawned on her that she'd sent no word home about her change of plans. _I'm a wretch!_ This was the determent of becoming so obsessively involved in something she didn't look up to realize the rest of the world was still spinning around her. _Perhaps they haven't noticed._ She shook her head knowing that was foolish, but on the other hand _Everyone was busy. Mr. Butler was leaving for his trip. Dot and Hugh were surely enjoying martial bliss. And Jack…Well perhaps he's busy with a new case…_ her mind trailed off thinking about the morning at the airfield, how they had left things.

Oh that kiss was certainly occupying her dreams when she fave herself a moment to sleep. They had a seemed to have come to a place of comfort and perhaps finally an understanding. She knew when she gave him the romantic overture "Come After Me Jack" that it wasn't about the literal sentiment of chasing her to England but rather the flirtation, the game, the chase they had been doing —while she had meant the double entendre, it was less sexual and more love. He had finally opened his heart, telescopes and universes expanding his heart had expanded, it was lettering her in if only she would see it in the stars. She had reciprocated that morning at the airfield, letting him know that her heart was open, she had love to give him. It was a surprising revelation in a way, she was certainly attracted to him physically and mentally they were well matched, but she had never imagined a serious relationship with anyone since Rene. She hadn't wanted to relinquish herself that way again, to lose herself so completely. _Jack was different, he was special_. For that reason she had always been sure to keep the temptations nearly there but never beyond. She feared losing him, them, forever more than anything else.

"Miss are you ready?" Phryne looked up realizing that she had been standing in the telegram office with her mind drifting off. "Sorry yes one moment" she handed him the note with her message to Dot letting her know of the change in plans.

"Will that be all?"

"No, actually, I have one more to send if you'll just give me a moment."

"Yes of course." He handed her another blank sheet of paper to write her message.

He gave her the telegrams to review before sending them through.

 _Jack STOP In Perth STOP Father headed to London STOP Long story STOP I do not want Rene to win STOP Will be home soon, I hope. STOP Yours P_

Satisfied with the results she nodded and paid the man a few shillings and walked back out to the motorbike. She placed her personal items into the satchel on the side of the bike and hopped on to make her way back to the airfield. _Hopefully the plane is ready to go_. She had let her mind wander into dangerous territory at the telegram office and she needed a clear and focused head to continue her search.

xx

"Where you headed" The cabbie asked Jack

"To the airfield."

"Which one?"

"How many are there?"

"Well there are four official airstrips, but a few more private ones and not counting the military base."

 _Naturally, this wasn't going to be easy_. He could rule out the military airstrip of course, but it wouldn't be impossible for Phryne to have a friend's airstrip on loan. He shuttered _A male friend_.

"What are my options?"

"Langley Park was the original official airstrip, but most have switched over to Maylands. Loton Park and Rottnest Island are both options. And then there's Crawley Bay which opened last year but those are mostly float planes."

Jack quickly weighed his options figuring he could easily rule out Rottnest Island and Crawley. He doubted that she would have gone to Langley as it was an older airfield. He tossed the coin in his head Maylands or Loton…

"Let's give Loton a shot."

xx

Phryne arrived back at the airfield pleasantly surprised to see her plane ready to go.

"George I'm back! Is she ready?"

"Yes ma'am, she's been tuned and fueled. Ready when you are."

"Let's not waste any time then, bring her to the runway and I'll meet you momentarily."

"Do you have a flight plan?" He followed her back into the makeshift office looking over the search maps. She had put hash lines through areas she had felt were thoroughly searched and contained no evidence of a plane or individual on the ground.

"Here. I'm going back to this area." She pointed to a red circle she had made on the map the night before. "This is where I saw the disturbance."

xx

"Can you wait a moment? I may need a ride if the person I'm looking for isn't here." He looked around, the airport was small and he didn't see any sign of her plane - not that that was evidence that she wasn't here.

"It's your money, the meter is running."

He put his hat on and walked into the small little repair garage and found a gent in coveralls removing some oil off a wrench.

"Sir. Can I have a moment?"

"Whatcha need?"

"I'm looking for someone who might be here or might have flown through this airstrip recently."

"Aye."

"Have you seen this woman?" He pulled out a picture from his wallet, it was one of the booking photos of Phryne that he had saved.

The man took the photo "Is she on the run?" Noticing the booking number

He took no notice, "Have you seen her?"

"No, we haven't had any broads on the airstrip. As you may have noticed this is a small outfit and we don't allow any female pilots. A few wives come by lookin' for their husbands of course, but none of them are as exotic lookin' as this broad here."

"Thank you." He took the photo back. _Strike One_.

He got back into the cab. "Maylands it is."

20 minutes later the cab pulled up to the Maylands airstrip. Jack looked around feeling more confident about this place. There was a big building out front and the runway off in the distance. He could see a plane prepping for take-off. He gave the cabbie some money, "I think this is the place. Thanks for the lift." The plane took off and Jack took the opportunity to walk towards a man walking back to the building.

"Sir" he hollered out and waved to the man.

A few moments later the man reached Jack and offered a hand, "Name's George, how can I help?"

Jack once again took out the photograph and handed it to George, "Have you seen this woman?"

"Yes."

"Where is she now?"

George looked up into the sky and pointed at the plane that was now a shrinking speck in the distance, "There." Jack followed the man's hand _How is it that our timing could be this off?_ He took his hat off and shook his head, he was tired of seeing her disappear like this. _At least I found the right place._


	12. Chapter 12

Dot went out to the post as she did most days and noticed a telegram had arrived for her. She flipped through the rest of the mail taking note of letters and invitations for Miss Fisher. Dot had not yet changed her address, so she wasn't surprised to see a few notes for her. Since the wedding she had received many nice notes from friends and some former co-workers, many expressing their sadness that they weren't able to attend the event. _Perhaps Hugh and I should plan some sort of party so we can properly thank all of our friends for their love and support._

With Mr. Butler already away on vacation and Miss Fisher gone the house had suddenly gone quiet. Dot couldn't remember a time when 221B Esplanade had ever been this quiet. She had promised Miss Fisher that she would keep an eye on things while she was away, send her regrets to parties and events she would be unable to attend.

Dot proceeded to flip through the letters, chuckling at some of the notes, and finally returned to the telegram.

Dot (stop) I am currently in Perth (stop) I have stopped my journey here and put my father aboard a ship bound for England (stop) It will arrive in time to meet my mother in Southampton (stop) I have joined the search for

Dot dropped the telegram stunned. She quickly turned the tea pot off, grabbed her coat and ran out the door. She reached City South station in record time, Miss Fisher would have been proud.

"Hugh!' She shouted a few times looking around the front desk for him. He turned the corner and caught her eye "Dottie, what are you doing here? I thought you weren't coming by for lunch today?"

"I'm not. Is the Inspector in?"

"No."

"Do you know where he is or when he will be back?"

"Well no Dottie I'm not sure where he's gone. He told the Commissioner that he was taking some personal time. Maybe you were right Dot maybe he is going after her after all." Hugh exclaimed happy to figure out emotions, he was ordinarily behind on picking those things up.

"Well based on this telegram, if he has gone after her he is going to be sorely disappointed."

"What do you mean?"

"She isn't on her way to England. She's in Perth."

"Was there a problem with the plane? Is she ok? We need to find away to get word to the Inspector."

"It gets worse." She handed him the telegram. Hugh's eyes got wide remembering that night, this was not good, not good at all.

xx

George had welcomed Jack into the hanger. "So you're looking for the little Miss eh?"

Jack nodded, _She's hardly little._ "Do you know where she's gone or when she will be back?"

"Well I just fueled her up so I imagine she has a good three hours of flying time before she will need to head back in. Also it'll be getting dark. As for where she went" George walked over to the map on the wall and pointed "she will be flying in and around this area here."

"Why on earth would she be flying over there?" Jack asked as he quizzically studied the map.

"Well she's been searching nonstop for the missing RAAF pilot. Last time she was up she thought she had finally seen signs of where the plane had gone down. Tragic really, the RAAF searched for a few days but have since called it off assuming that it was doubtful that he would have survived. But your miss, she refuses to stop keeps saying she can't give up on him."

Jack's mind started racing, who would make Phryne change her plans with her father and stay and search to the point for exhaustion. A name came to mind but he needed confirmation.

"In Melbourne I heard reports that an RAAF pilot had gone down but there wasn't any more information than that. Do you know who he is?"

"Yeah he was a fellow recently transferred from your parts come to think of it, name of Compton."

 _So that's it, that's why she's been searching frantically and put her father on a boat back to England…it was to find an 'old friend.'_ Jack took a step back from George and the map on the wall feeling a bit stunned. He wasn't sure what he was going to find when he got to Perth, but this notion had never gone through his mind. He didn't know Compton was transferred, but after what happened a few months ago he shouldn't have been surprised. _I wonder if she knew. Were they keeping in touch_? His mind was spinning, he found the deep desire to get some fresh air.

"You okay Mister? Hey I didn't catch your name."

"Detective Inspector Robinson." He muttered out of habit rather than as an introduction.

"Well if you want to wait around she'll be back in a bit as I said, she's got enough fuel to last her about three hours."

"No." he paused "I think I will go back into town." He wasn't sure where he wanted to be or what he wanted to do, but he didn't think he could be here when she arrived. He wanted to be, but his sense of jealousy was overcoming him.

"Well it is a mighty long walk back to the main road to the bus stop. The route around here only runs three times a day." George caught the paleness of the Inspector and quickly gathered that there was more going on than the man was sharing. "How about you stay, have a drink. I'm fixing to barbecue in a little while."

Jack contemplated his options. A long walk that could lead to a missed stop for the bus, or waiting here for her return. He desperately wanted to see her, but was concerned that another evening of libations could lead to another alcohol-fueled confessional.

xx

 _stay tuned to see what jack decides to do next. were you expecting that compton would be the rusty nail still poking our couple in the side?_


	13. Chapter 13

AN: We are nearly to the moment where our hero and heroine finally meet after their two week separation. I've already written the chapter and will post once it comes back from beta. I can reveal that some sparks fly and so does some angst. I'm a canon gal so you won't see too much out of character from me, but I do think you'll be pleased with these two installments.

xx

Jack resigned himself to the fact that he wouldn't be able to make it to town, not that he was convinced that he wanted to leave. His feelings were all jumbled he desperately wanted to see her, but he couldn't make heads or tails of her going after Compton. After their last encounter with Copton he knew she still had some feelings for him, but was it just physical or something more. They did have quite the history together. His mind suddenly flew back to the night he came across her wearing nothing but the flight jacket. His blood began to boil, he had told her that he didn't want to just be one in a line of her lovers. Jack became aware that a pair of eyes were stating at him, reminding him he wasn't alone.

"I think I will stay and try the bus in the morning. Is there a place I can rest? It has been quite a long journey."

"There's a cot in the hanger if you want to nap." George said gesturing to the hanger off to the right of the runway. "Should I find you later for dinner?"

"Thank you but no," Jack new he couldn't eat when his body was so tense.

"Suit yourself." George walked away leaving Jack to his thoughts.

As Jack walked through the hanger his mind once again drifted back to her. _How did we get to this point?_ He was filled with a sense of regret having come after her, it felt like he would always be the one on the chase. He located the dusty cot and gave it a good shake before plopping down to rest. His body ached, he rubbed the back of his neck feeling stiff. His body hadn't stopped moving for a week and he let a sudden desire to just lay back and shut his eyes.

Awhile late he woke with a start, unsure of how long he had nodded off. He got up to stretch and see if she had returned. The sun was getting low in the sky _She should be back soon_. As the minutes ticked away and the sun continued its decent but no sign of her or any place in the sky. He was beginning to get antsy. He spotted a small bottle of whisky on the shelf and decided to help himself to a drink to help calm his nerves. One drink turned into two turned into four. He peered outside the sun had completely gone down below the horizon. He still saw no sign of her. He grabbed the bottle and headed back to his cot feeling dejected.

Fifteen minutes later Phryne flashed her light onto the airfield signaling her approach. She had stayed out longer than indented and at the edge of her fuel limits but she needed to scope out where she might safely land when she returned to what appeared to be the crash site. George who had been keeping an eye out for her return saw the light and headed to the runway to guide her in. Waving his torches she lined up and came in with a slight hop. The plane coming to a slow idle and finally a stop. Phryne turned the plane off, removed her googles and cap and climbed out.

"Well George I think I've found a spot to land tomorrow, I'll be bale to get out and check what appears to be a crash site." she said as she let her hands flow through her hair shaking out her bob after being matted down from her flying cap.

"Very good. When do you think you'll head out?"

"Probably at first light, I want as much daylight as possible."

"Oh," he paused "I'll make sure she's ready for you then."

Sensing his hesitation she decided to probe him to see if it was just worries or a legitimate concern, "Is something wrong George."

"Oh no Miss, nothing is the matter. I just thought that with your visitor having just arrived you wouldn't want to head out so early."

 _Did he just say visitor?_ "Visitor?" She wasn't expecting anyone.

"Yes. He's in the hanger taking a nap I imagine, long journey he said."

Her mind began to run and heart began to race, _Could it be?_ She wondered. _But how I only just sent the telegram today._ She shook her head concluding that it must be someone else or that they weren't there for her. She handed her cap over to George.

"I'll go say hello, but do make sure she's ready for a morning departure. Thank you for all your help George."

Never one to let a mysterious male guest wait Phryne walked towards the faint glow of yellow light coming from the hanger door. She found herself anxiously speeding up her pace to close the distance between her and the hanger hoping that the visitor was the one man she was longing for most.


	14. Chapter 14

AN: Drum roll, the chapter we've all been waiting for. I hope you enjoy it, it took a few days to map out the plan for where the story would go from here.

She slid the hanger door closed and saw his figure laying on the cot across the room. She knew in an instant that it was _him_. Her heart swelled. Her breathing shallowed. She found being back in his presence intoxicating and without realizing that something had been missing over the past two weeks she felt whole in an instant. Being so far away from home, for the first time in as many days she felt at home in this hanger because he was here with her.

It appeared as though he was napping, so she slowly and carefully walked across the room towards him, hoping to get the jump on him. His eyes were closed, but he thought he heard a creak in the loop boards. He took a deep breath and caught a whiff of french perfume, _her_ perfume, he must be dreaming again.

She knelt by the edge of the cot and gently placed a kiss on his lips. As she started to pull back his lips seized her back and he kissed her passionately, longingly. His eyes still closed he wrapped his hands around her face drawing her closer to him.

She could taste the whisky on his lips as he drew his tongue to hers. Enjoying the taste and his sudden dominance in kissing. He knew he needed to open his eyes to make sure it was real, but was afraid of breaking the spell. As their lips finally parted they both slowly opened their eyes and put their lips together once more through hooded eyes, neither one wanting to separate.

"Hello" she said softly.

"Hello" he replied grabbing the bottom of her lip with his teeth. She smiled brightly and looked at him seductively. _God how her smile made me feel weak_. Some may have found other attributes more sensual, but to him seeing her smile, making her so happy was what he found to be the most attractive. She had so much heartache that it always surprised him that she could be that happy again. It warmed his heart and his loins, but more importantly gave him hope that perhaps he too could find such happiness amidst the darkness.

She could see in his eyes that his mind was drifting off, "I've missed you" he whispered. She barely heard the words, "what did you say?" "A romantic overture," he paused "would you like me to improve upon it?" Without hesitation she replied "most definitely."

Jack brushed a lock of her hair behind her ear and held his hand by her face. He stared at her with soft but hungry eyes. He gently stroked his fingers along her jaw line and down her neck to her scarf and gave it a tug letting it come loose. Phryne lifted her chin to expose more of her neck to him and leaned closer, hoping he might get the hint. He did and placed a gentle kiss below her ear. He felt her shutter. She felt her heart skip. _He is being so gentle and yet so passionate_. It was driving her wild. He moved down and placed another kiss at the base of her neck. Pulling lightly at her collar hoping to expose her clavicles.

"Jack" she moaned, "you came after me."

"Mmm hmm." was all that he uttered while continuing his ministrations on her neck.

She was drinking in every moment, the seconds feeling like minutes ticking away. "But how on earth did you find me?"

"Well I am an Inspector Miss Fisher," he gave a teasing grin. He tilted her head in the opposite direction to put the other side of her neck to memory.

She smiled back at him, "But I just sent the telegram this afternoon. How on earth did you get here so fast."

"You doubt my skills?" He said still maintaining his position on her neck. She gave out another little groan of approval. She moved towards his tie to loosen it and give him the same attention she was receiving. He moved his arm to provide her with better access and a nod of approval. Glad that he wanted this as much as she did.

"But Jack…" she felt him tense and in that moment she knew she had pushed the issue too far. She could feel him closing off to her. He removed her hands from his tie and moved away from the cot, wanting to put as much distance between himself, her, and any flat surface that he could be tempted to take her on. He could feel her eyes burning holes into his back as he began to pace. Finally he turned towards her and recounted the tale of hearing about a plane crash and fearing that it was her. His mind flashed back to the car wreck and the overwhelming sensation of losing her. "You sent no word. I was going to phone a station here in Perth to find out who it was, when I finally got word that it was a military aviator. But the worry sent a chill down my spine. You sent no word." he repeated more frantically the second time. Sensing his panic Phryne moved to say something, but he interrupted her, "I finally decided to take the train to Perth to get some answers."

"Jack." She said softly, her eyes conveying all the tenderness in her being. She stood up from the cot and moved towards him placing an arm on his shoulder to calm him, but he shrugged off his advance still wanting to maintain distance. _For clarity sake_ he told himself. Worried that he would fall into bed with her without saying what was on his mind, what was hurting him.

"And then I come here and see you flying off in the distance yet again." he paused, "always too late" he muttered.

"Jack, truly I am sorry." He looked at her and nodded. He could see the tenderness in her eyes, it was so hard to stay truly mad at her. But then she continued, "You know how I get when I'm working on a case everything else tends to slip away," She turned away from him "I get so focused on the task at hand…" her voice trailed off.

He felt his anger rising up once again, she couldn't leave well enough alone. He might be able to calm down on his own if she just stopped. He knew how she got on cases, he was much the same perhaps one of the many reasons he was drawn to her. But his jealousy prevented him from seeing clearly on the matter, she was so focused on her missing pilot that she couldn't be bothered to let him know if she was okay or not. He turned his back and let fling the next barb, "Especially when the case involves a certain _old friend_."

She immediately picked up on his tone and bit her lip, she held back her knee jerk response knowing that Jack was hurting, but the way he had said old friend stung.

"Jack I'm assisting in the search. His plane went down and…"

"You can stop. I know that the RAAF has called off their search, they no longer think there is hope that he could still be alive, and yet you keep searching." His voice elevating and without thought he blurted out "I'm not sure why I came. You could never settle for just one man. I play second fiddle to a dead man."

Now she was getting quite annoyed she admitted that not sending word was inconsiderate wan worth of a small tongue lashing but this was beyond reproach.

"Jack!" She hollered out "I will not be railed against for looking into a dear friend that could be in trouble. Yes it is true that the military has called off his search, but I'm unconvinced that he is dead. Compton was well trained at survival and if he did survive the crash he could still be out there, and I will continue searching until there is proof to the contrary. And just because I am out looking for him does not mean that I am in love with the man. As I have said on repeated occasions there is nothing between me and Compton."

"I have trouble believing that after your last evening encounter with your dear old friend," he threw another barb at the unsuspecting target. He moved towards the whisky on the floor and took a long drink, another attempt to calm himself.

"How poorly you know me Jack. I'm not sure why you came after me either, if you are so insistent on fighting with me and showing a complete lack of trust in me why come? I can take the gossip in the papers and even the disapproving glances from my aunt, but you, I never thought you could be capable of inflicting such hurtful words."

Jack turned around to say something but nothing came out.

"May your drink keep you company, it does seem to be your regular bedfellow." Then she turned and walked out of the hanger. Jack started after her but he knew it wouldn't do any good.


	15. Chapter 15

AN: Prepare yourself for a few chapters of thick angst.

After a few fitful hours asleep Jack woke up and walked out of the hanger to get some fresh air rethinking how the whole evening played out. He knew he really put his foot in it this time. He glanced up at the stars and for a moment was reminded of more peaceful times in their relationship. The night they spent under the pier waiting for their suspect to appear. Him finding her dangling out the window of Madame Fleuri's shop. Their late night break in as undercover Archie Jones. He knew she could never stand to have such a jealous man serve as her regular bed companion, he needed to find a way to reign himself in. _What was there to be jealous of a dead man?_ _And why couldn't she just leave it be_. He chuckled as he well-knew the answer, Miss Fisher never left anything alone for a day in her life, why would she start now.

 _Tomorrow morning I will go to her and apologize. I will try and explain how I was hurting and I didn't mean the awful things I said. She is the most dear person in my life and life without her is hardly a life worth living. It would be a life of motions not of love or laughter. Certainly not one of happiness or pleasure. He would lay out all his cards and hope that would throw her off her guard and be enough to sway him back into her favor._ With a modest plan in mind he endeavored himself to get a few more hours of sleep so he might be prepared to meet the day.

xx

Phryne tossed and turned in her bed. She was so angry and hurt, but she was also melancholy. She longed every night to be back in Jack's arms and she was for a moment. A brief moment and then it was all dashed. She stood up and looked out the window towards the hanger. He was a few yards away, her heart was singing a siren's song to go to him all things be damned, but her mind dug in. _If he could treat me so insensitively there's no way I could ever go to him_. Her body wanted him, she could still taste him on her lips and smell him on her scarf. She pulled it close and inhaled deeply. _That man!_ He drove her mad and she had half a mind to go back out and tell him what for. She knew that she needed sleep though, her mission to bring back Compton, alive or dead, was coming to a close end. She wouldn't be able to bring closure to her life chapter with Compton until it was done. She wouldn't be able to move forward with Jack until it was done. _Why couldn't he see that? Why couldn't he understand? In order to be free, to be completely his I need to do this!_

The other lovers in her life had always come to neat and tidy ends. Lin had married. The others were mere dalliances, one or two days of ecstasy and then it was over. Jack was the one constant theme. She remembered a comment he been bold enough to make once, "what was it that attracted you to them?" And she readily recalled her response "well I suppose they wanted me and they let me know it." When she turned back to face him her eyes caught the hurt in his face even though he never said it she could see that he wanted her too. She hadn't intended to hurt his feelings, but she was admittedly caught off guard by the directness of his question that she responded without thought.

For a moment in the reflection of night her mind relented her anger at Jack. They had done their fair share of mutual hurt to one another.

She knew that leaving Jack before the sun was fully up wasn't right, but she needed to finish this once and for all. She decide to write Jack a note to leave for him, hoping to allay some of his worries.

 _My Dearest Jack,_

 _If we get any better at hurting one another one of us may end up hanging for the crime. I do apologize for my part and I am sorry for pushing you to talk last night. I should have realized you were hurt by my lack of content over these past two weeks. That does not make your words any less painful in the light of day, your barbs did sting. But did not mortally wound._

 _I must finish this mission. I hope you'll understand and give me your patience for a few more hours. I promise to explain when I return and then I sincerely hope we can pick up where you last took off. I believe it was my scarf._

 _Yours,_

 _Phryne_

She went back to bed hoping for a few hours of sleep before setting out on her early morning journey.

xx

A few hours later Jack finally woke from his drunken slumber rubbing his head trying to figure out whether it was all a horrible dream. He heard the sound of the hanger door open and he rose with a start. It was George.

"Sorry sir, didn't mean to disturb you just need to get a few things going."

"Yes, of course. By all means I didn't mean to get in your way. Thank you for the lodging."

He walked towards the opening of the hanger and noticed that the plane was gone. He turned back to George who gave a nod.

"She left?" He said too quietly for George to hear. _I've done it, I've driven her away_. He repeated himself more loudly this time "she left?"

"Yes, she took off at dawn. Says she found the crash site. Intends to land and search the area for that missing airman."

"By herself?" It was a silly question that was more rhetorical than anything else, of course she had gone alone.

"Yes, but I know the general area she was flying. I always make sure the pilots give me their paths in case something were to happen."

Jack nodded approvingly. "I think I will walk towards that bus stop you mentioned and see if I can get a ride into town." He started out of the hanger looking like a man whose lost the world. George felt bad for the man. He didn't know what the story was between him and the miss, but could tell there was love there. George nodded and went back to work when he noticed that the man forgot his hat.

"Wait." he hollered after Jack "your hat."

"Oh, right. Thank you." Jack took the hat from the man and looked towards the sky. George sensed that the man didn't really want to leave "you could stay here awhile. I told her to be back by nightfall whether she found the airman or not."

"No, I don't think that wise. I'll just be on my way." George nodded once again and walked back towards the hanger.

Jack held his hat and twirled it in his hands, anxiously, not seeing the note flutter out from inside the brim and made the long walk towards the bus stop.


	16. Chapter 16

**AN: Thank you to those that have reviewed, favorited, and followed this story. Anyone that writes FF knows it is a labor of love, juggling life and writer's block at times. It is nice to know that people appreciate the time and effort you spend writing these ditties. I've decided that this story will be 20 chapters long, so four more to go. Thanks again fellow MFMM fans for the support.**

Hours had passed and George made his way from the hanger back to the office to make himself some dinner. On his way he caught glimpse of some rubbish damp from the morning dew. He turned it over and realized it wasn't rubbish at all it was a note. He didn't want to be accused of reading someone's mail but there was no address or information on the outside. He unfolded the note being careful to not let the moist folds tear. _My dearest Jack_. George suddenly realized that this was meant for the Inspector who was here earlier. _Had he seen this?_ George couldn't imagine that the man would have left after having read this note, surely he would have waited here for her return. He could tell that he was upset and desperately in love with the miss. He thought about taking the note to the bus stop and returning it to its rightful owner, but the clock told him that the man would be gone by now. He also took note of the time, _Miss should be returning soon, nightfall was only an hour away_. He put the note safely in his pocket. He would give it back to her and let her know that the man didn't get it before he left for town.

Jack sat for a few hours waiting for the bus, wishing he had a paper or book to pass the time. His mind was an unfriendly companion berating him for leaving _but how can I stay? I went too far this time, I hurt her too much with my remarks._ When the bus finally came he realized he had nowhere to stay and it would be too late to catch the train back to Melbourne now. He would book his return ticket for the following day. He recalled seeing a pub across from the train station, perhaps they would offer some lodging.

xx

Sunset had come and gone but there had been no sign of the returning plane. George was beginning to grow concerned. He knew she had enough fuel to reach her destination, land and the return but what if something had happened while on the ground. _I really should have insisted that someone go with her_.

He paced the floor of the office looking out at every sound checking to see if it was her, but the sky remained dark. He eventually fell asleep on his chair only to wake up as the sun began drifting through the window. He jumped out of his chair angry with himself for falling asleep. He ran out of the office looking frantically for signs that she had returned in the night, but alas the runway was empty and the fields were still.

George grabbed his coat and got on his motorbike heading into town as quickly as he could. He needed to find this Inspector, Inspector Jack. He wasn't entirely sure what he could do, but George needed to let him know.

Jack was checking out of the inn above the pub. His train left in an hour and he wanted a hot cup of tea and to stretch his legs before setting out on the journey. As he walked out onto the street he was nearly struck by a motorbike bounding down the street. He started to curse at the man only to realize that he recognized the man, it was George from the airstrip.

"Sorry, I didn't realize it was you George. Why the hurry?"

Huffing out of breath from his rapid journey, "She" (breath) "never" (breath) "came back" he managed to get out.

Jack's eyes immediately went wide and darkened with concerned. His mind quickly racing, running through all the possibilities.

"What do you mean she didn't come back?"

George having caught some of his breath now, but still lacked any calmness to his voice "She flew at first light. She was going to landed in a clearing near what she thought was the crash site. Miss said she was going to look around and see if there was any site of the missing pilot and then return before nightfall. But she didn't come back."

"Are you sure? Is it possible that she flew to a different airfield?"

"I doubt it sir. Aside from farm land there's no other official airfield in the area. I suppose she could have landed on someone's ranch, but I think she would have phoned."

Jack stood in the street pondering until a horn honked jarring him back to their precarious location. He grabbed George's arm and pulled him aside. "Take me back to the airfield. Do you know her coordinates?"

"I know roughly where she had been searching yes, as for the clearing she may have dropped down at no I'm not sure."

"OK, one thing at a time. Let's hurry back and you can show me the maps and we'll go from there."

George was taken aback at the man's seeming calm demeanor, but he had no idea that Jack was yelling and swearing inside. _Why does she have to be so goddamn stubborn? Going up without any assistance?_ Jack after all was used to Phryne going off on her own, never minding the potential for danger.

xx

George opened the office door and started pulling up the charts and maps where Phryne had been searching.

"Here is the general area that she was searching and narrowed it down to this spot specifically. We can't tell from this map whether there is a clearing nearby or not. She could have put down up to a few miles from the crash site."

Jack grabbed the compass and drew a circle around the spot, "So in theory she should be somewhere in this area here."

"Yes." George didn't want to be the first to say it, but knew it had to be said "unless she ran into trouble that is."

Jack knew that she was a good pilot, but even the best of pilots weren't immune to engine problems. "Right" he muttered, also not wanting to go there. "What flight path do you think she would have taken from the airfield to the crash site?" Trying to deduce exactly where she could have landed…or gone down.

George took the red pencil and drew a line from the airfield to the compass circle. "This would be my best guess."

"OK. Then that's where we will start. Can you fly us along this route?" Jack just now realizing that he never did ask whether George was a pilot.

"I could, except my plane has had some mechanical issues. I'm waiting for a part to arrive to fix the fuel line."

Jack's blood pressure started to increase. He had a pilot but no plane. He knew when it come to a search and rescue there was no time to waste. He had no idea whether she brought any survival gear with her, the nights get cool and it would be easy to get hypothermic without the proper attire. "Do you have access to another plane? Or know anyone else that could help?" Jack inquired his mind once again running through options A through Zed.

George shook his head, "We're a small airfield as you can see. I can put out some inquiries and see if someone else is available." He took note of Jack's building disappointment, then a thought jumped out at him. "You know we might be able to check with the RAAF. With the information that Phryne gathered so far surely they would be willing to go out and search the area."

Jack thought about it for a moment and nodded his head, "It's worth a shot." Jack's experience with the RAAF had not been positive in the past and he had some doubt as to whether or not they'd be willing to look for a civilian aviatrix who was missing along with their Group Captain. "Can I borrow your motorbike?" Jack figured an in person visit would give them the best chance of convincing the Air Force in assisting.

"Of course." George wasn't sure of the man's plan, but he seemed to have a look of determination that was best not to argue or question.

"In the meantime, can you please check around for another pilot or plane? When is your part supposed to arrive?"

"I can certainly call around to some friends and see if they'd be able to help. As for the part, not for another few days I suspect. It's coming from Sydney."

"Any chance someone would be willing to loan you the part until the shipment arrives? I think we need a back up plan."

George nodded again, "I'll see what I can do."

Jack gathered up the maps and headed out of the office. As he got onto George's motorbike he looked down the airfield and off into the horizon. His emotions were a jumble, he was full of anger and fear. He knew he needed to set it all aside for now and just focus on the task of hand, stay in Inspector-mode.


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: Short piece, but we are nearly there just a handful of chapters until we get to our conclusion. If you're in need of a remedy for the Phrack angst check out my other story "More Than Meets The Eye."

As Jack rode onto the Perth RAAF Air Base, familiar feelings began to rise up. He knew he had been unfair to Miss Fisher, jumping to conclusions as he had in the past. It wasn't really in his nature to be jealous, he wanted to be where he was wanted nothing more, nothing less. He knew she _wanted_ him, he knew that since their very first tet-a-tet, but he wanted more than just that. He knew that if he was patient with her and proved a formidable match in other respects that she might come around, seeing him more than just an evening conquest. It had taken time, but their last case had proved that perhaps the slow burning waltz had worked after all. As he turned the corner towards the Colonel's office he realized that while the jealousy had been the response, it was really a mask, he was upset and hurt. After all this time she still didn't feel the need to confide in him about everything, or as something as important as "by the way Jack I've put my father on a boat and am joining the search for an old friend." He was a man that required information, needed to be in the know. He was well-read and while he'd never admit it aloud he had an active imagination, without information his mind tended to wander - a dangerous thing. When he didn't hadn't heard from her he had imagined horrible things. Now she was missing and again his mind wandered into frightening territory. He climbed off the bike, shook his head and walked into the man's office to discuss getting the RAAF back involved in the search.

"Come in." The man said not looking up from his stack of papers.

"Hello Colonel. My name is Detective Inspector Jack Robinson from the Victoria Police." He flipped out the badge credentials out of habit, the man still didn't look up.

"Yes. And what can the RAAF do for the Victorian Police?"

"Well sir….I have reason to believe that the location of Group Captain Lyle Compton's crash site has been found. Sir I'd like to ask you to resume your search for Group Captain Lyle Compton."

That caught the man's attention and he finally looked up at the man inquisitively.

"And why would we do that? He's been missing for too long, he is presumed dead. And what business is that of the Victorian Police?"

"I'm not here on official police business sir. My partner, er, friend had joined the search for Captain Compton - they were old friends you see." He pulled out the maps. "Based on the flight reconnoissance she found disturbance here that suggested a crash site."

"She?"

Jack knew the minute that he let slip the 'she' that he might be facing a brick wall. The RAAF was not a fan of female pilots, they didn't think that women had any place in aviation. "Um, yes sir. She. The Honorable Miss Phryne Fisher. She is quite the aviatrix. She knew Compton from the war and when she heard the news of his disappearance she flew into action."

"Yes well. Some women may be able to fly a plane, but they have no experience in true reconnoissance gathering, so I highly doubt that what she saw was a crash site. Probably just some down trees. They're doing a lot of logging in the area."

Jack was beginning to get frustrated, he knew they only had a few hours of daylight to work with and he didn't need his time to be wasted. "Miss Fisher is a lady detective with a great sense of detail and a nose for things kinds of things. If she said it looked like a crash site I believe her and so should you. She has continued looking for your missing Captain even after you've given up the search. Do you have such little value for your men that you won't even try to find him? Bringing back his body, if he is dead, so his family might have closure?!"

The man stood up from behind his desk, "How dare you come here and speak to me like this! You have no idea of our military protocols! I will run my unit as I see fit. Now please leave."

Jack turned to leave, "Won't you be eating crow when we bring back Compton," he threw back at the man and stormed out. To be fair, he hadn't expected that they would agree, but he did think they would at least be willing to look at the maps and discuss the matter.

He got back on the motorbike and headed back to the airfield, hoping that George was having better luck than he.

XX

George had spent the morning on the phone, calling around trying to find someone that had the fuel pump he needed to fix his plane. Five calls later and still nothing. He was hoping that the Inspector was having better luck with the RAAF. He looked down at his list only two other names to call before he'd need to come up with a new plan.

"Robert. George here. Yeah I know it's been awhile. No, no I can't make it to the club. Well I'm calling because I'm in need of some help. I'm looking for a part. Yes I already ordered it, but it is still days away. Because I can't wait, I need to get the plane up today. Why? Because a lady's gone missing and I gotta get the plane out to look for her. No it isn't Muriel. Listen, do you have the fuel pump or not? You do! Can you bring it over? No I loaned my motorbike out this morning. Robert! What's with the 20 questions?! Just bring it over as quick as you can. Yes, yes there'll be a bottle of scotch for your troubles. Thanks, see you soon!"

George hung up the phone with glee, finally some glimmer of hope. He knew it would take Robert a good 45 minutes to get down here with the part and if he helped they could probably get the part in and tested in another 3 hours. He looked up at the clock, it was already 11 it would be cutting it close.


	18. Chapter 18

**AN: Your patience and reviews are being rewarded with an extra long chapter update. Only two or three more to go before we reach the conclusion of this not-so-little piece of mine. Thanks again for the support, I hope you enjoy!**

Jack arrived back at the airfield to find George hard at work on his plane, talking to another man.

"So let me see if I've got this straight. A week ago a lady landed here with her dad. Found out that her friend, the airman, crashed and was missing. She made arrangements to ship her dad back home and went to search for this missing airman, whose _just_ her friend. Then two days ago a policeman from Melbourne arrived looking for the lady. She then flew off again and never came back and now you and the copper are going to go look for her _and_ the airman? And this policeman what did you say was his story?"

"I'm not sure entirely, he isn't very talkative, but the way he looks when he talks about her I would say he was in love with her."

"Well it doesn't seem like she feels the same, chasing after this airman and all. Leaving him here to go look for this friend of hers."

"That's what I thought too, until I found this letter on the ground that she wrote trying to explain things and apologize for some fight they got into." George pulled the letter out of his pocket. Robert reached for it but George quickly shoved it back into his pocket, "this isn't for our eyes, I didn't mean to read it myself I opened it thinking it was a piece of rubbish."

At that moment, Jack walked into the hanger, "What letter?"

"Oh you're back. Any luck with the RAAF?"

"No, it was like we thought it would be. Now what letter?"

George sheepishly took the folded letter out of his pocket and handed it to the man. "She must have left it in your coat pocket or something and it blew out when you left yesterday. I found it on the ground just there" George pointed out towards the office, "I meant to give it to you earlier, but we got so caught up in trying to go after the Miss."

Jack said nothing, just letting a grunt release from his mouth as an acknowledgement, and opened up the letter. He walked towards a corner of the hanger for some privacy as the two men continued their work on the plane. As he slowly read the contents of the letter, it was unlike her to write such a note which made the words even more poignant.

 _My Dearest Jack,_

 _If we get any better at hurting one another one of us may end up hanging for the crime. I do apologize for my part and I am sorry for pushing you to talk last night. I should have realized you were hurt by my lack of contact over these past two weeks. That does not make your words any less painful in the light of day, your barbs did sting, but did not mortally wound._

 _I must finish this mission. I hope you'll understand and give me your patience for a few more hours. I promise to explain when I return, and then I sincerely hope we can pick up where you last took off. I believe it was my scarf._

 _Yours,_

 _Phryne_

The guilt over his actions the other night deepened. He knew what he said was wrong and hurtful, but reading this made him realize that words do hurt when the person saying them matters. His resolve to find her was stronger than ever, her last words were driving him to fix this. He quickly re-read the note savoring her handwriting, _She had the loveliest penmanship_. He gently folded the note and placed it in his wallet, taking care of it like the prized possession it was. Jack was annoyed with George for not sharing the note sooner, but could understand the man's priorities with Phryne missing in action.

"So George, can I safely assume the work you are doing on the plane means we will be able to go after her?"

"Um, yes. Robert here happened to have the part I need, so as soon as it is put in and tested we will be good to go."

"How much longer would you say?"

"Probably another hour or so."

Jack didn't know the first thing about plane engines, but wanted to be useful in whatever way he could, "Is there anything I can do in the meantime?"

George figured that the man would be fidgety for the next hour if he didn't have something to do, so he came up with a small task. "Well Robert and I have this in hand, but it would be a big help if you went back to the office and arranged for the fuel truck to come by and top off our tanks, and maybe go over those maps again?" _That should keep him busy for a little while._

"Ok sure, I can handle that. Thank you again George for your help."

XX

The previous day, Phryne had arrived at her location. She double checked her map and the downed trees. _This is the spot_. As she circled she found an area about two clicks away from the possible crash site that she could put her plane down safely. She did another pass just to make sure there weren't any big objects in the clearing, having deemed it safe she tilted the nose of the plane downward and began her descent. Just as she neared the ground a large gust of wind blew and created turbulence beneath the wings that caused them to wobble. As the wings tipped back and forth it clipped a nearby tree. She was close enough to the ground that she was able to regain control and manage a rough landing, but a landing nonetheless. As the plane idled to a stop it was clear there was some definite damage down. Phryne climbed down from her plane and took a long look and the left wing, a large chunk was taken out. _Well isn't this a fine mess._ Not something she could fix with some silk stockings. _A problem for another moment_.

She took a moment to gather her bearings, having discerned the direction she would need to hike towards she grabbed her pack from the cockpit and headed out. _At least I have a few hours of daylight on my side and George knows roughly where I am_. She paused in her tracks. _Jack._ She knew he would be worried. She left him the note hoping to explain things, but if she didn't return tonight it might cause some serious issues. _Nothing I can do about that now._ Straightening the pack on her back and heading southeast from her landing location she made her way towards the other plane wreck. Given how long Compton had been out here, she wasn't sure what she would find, but she had mentally prepared herself for the worst. _If he did land he could have survived the last week, but anything could have happened as the plane was coming down_. She shook her raven-haired bob, knowing she couldn't go there just yet.

After an hour trudging through the outback and double-checking her map she came to an opening in the trees. The opening appeared to be man-made. Phryne stopped for some water and took off her pack to get a good look around. _This could be what I was seeing from above_. From this view she could see broken limbs and leaves scattered about, but no immediate sign of the plane or Compton. _Perhaps I could get a little height on the situation to help_. Having found what appeared to be a sturdy tree Phryne climbed up to the lower limbs to gain a better vantage point, low enough to see through the tree tops but high enough to scan for debris. As she scanned her eyes from one area to the other nothing immediately stood out. Then as the clouds shifted the sunlight caught on something in the distance and she spotted a glint of light, a light that could only come from a piece of metal. It was about 200 yards away, but it seemed likely that the metal would be a piece of Compton's plane. She scrambled back down, grabbed her pack and set off in the direction of the glint. A few minutes later she came in contact with that piece of metal. _A section of tail it would appear_. She searched for other pieces and saw a trail of metallic breadcrumbs pointing the direction of the downed plane, and hopefully her friend. After another few minutes she came across a large section of the body of the plane, the two cockpits were still mostly in contact, until she walked around to the other side. The whole right side of the plane had been sheared off exposing the pilot to whatever debris was flying past at the moment of impact. Phryne shuddered, as she moved some branches out of the way she spotted spots of dried blood. She turned and looked away from the wreckage and began searching for signs of life…or his body. _If nothing else, I will bring his body home for his family to have a proper burial_. Having spent years of her life not knowing where her sister's remains laid to rest she had a still appreciation for the added enormity of loss in not having a casket to fill. Walking back to the other side of the body of the plane she began to call for him, softly at first the air coming up from her lungs hardly vibrated her vocal cords. "Compton." Each breath she took her voice deepened "Compton." Until she was yelling "Lyle! Lyle!"

She moved deeper into the trees and spotted signs of what looked like a make-shift shelter. There were some open rations by a blanket and some twigs that propped up a tarp. For the first time in days Phryne let out a deep, guttural breath one that she hadn't realized she was holding in. _Signs of life_. _This would suggest that he at least survived the crash_. But she knew the elements of the outback were harsh and the wildlife dangerous. Just because he survived the landing didn't necessarily mean he managed to stay alive over the last week. She picked up one of the rations and looked around, unsure of what to do next. _If he is alive he will come back to camp_. After a few moments she opted to stay put placing her bet on Compton being alive and making his way back before dark. If he didn't return before morning then she would look for his body in the light of day. She removed her pack and began gathering some tinder to start a fire, it would be dark soon and it was the tale end of winter after all. Being satisfied with the amount of wood she had procured she took the small gold lighter out of her pocket and lit the bundle. She was grateful that George had advised her to pack some snacks in case she was delayed. Phryne looked down at her provisions, she had enough water to get by for the next 24 hours and with some rationing the food would get her by, but she would need to find her way out of here soon. Phryne began cursing herself, _Jack would have that 'I told you so' look on his face if he saw me in this state_. It was true she often responded before fully appreciating a situation and adequately planning for it - all action she mused. As the sun continued to drift below the horizon the chill in the air picked up and she huddled herself closer to the fire. She missed him, and not just the warmth his body would bring. _It's going to be a long night_. She shifted her pack into a pillow and closed her eyes.

XX

Jack was growing impatient. It had been an hour and he had run out of tasks to keep himself occupied with. He was back in the hanger pacing back and forth. He knew it wasn't helping the situation, he knew fixing the plane would take the time it would take. There was no sense rushing it, a misstep could get both of them killed and strand Miss Fisher out in the middle of nowhere. George was sensing the man's growing anxiety, he too was concerned with the clock ticking on the time they would have to go searching for her.

"Inspector, we are nearly done. We just need to put fuel through the line and take it out of the hanger to test. I'll go up and do a few circles to make sure everything is in good working order and then we can go."

Jack nodded finding relief in the fact that soon they'd be on their way. "George, if we are going into the unknown to search for Miss Fisher I think you ought to call me Jack."

George gave a small smile, "Well Jack, why don't you go get our things together. We are going to want some canteens of water, some food, and the medical kit. I'm not sure how things will look when we get there and I'd like to be prepared."

"Agreed." Jack was trying his hardest to not think about what scene they may come upon when they arrived in the search area.

A half an hour later Robert was leading Jack out to the runway. George sat in the back of the cockpit and Robert helped Jack up into the front seat.

"She's all good to go Robert. You have our flight plans."

"I'll stay here until tomorrow just in case. Be safe."

With that George nodded back to his friend who yanked on the propeller, "Contact!" the engine came back to life and the plane lurched down the runway.

Jack pulled down the goggles he had borrowed from the office and gripped down on the seat, having never flown before he wasn't sure what to expect. A moment later he felt a second of weightlessness as the plane left the ground. As the plane reached its cruising altitude and speed Jack took a deep breath and looked down. The world looked so small from this height, but it was beautiful. The air blew into his nose and he savored the smell. If it had been under other circumstances he might have even said he was enjoying himself. _I can see why she loves it_.


	19. Chapter 19

**AN: Getting excited as I get closer to the conclusion of this story. While I'm sure it could just keep on going, as many FF stories could I think it deserves a genuine ending. Besides I have "more than meets the eye" to return to and the bubbling of another story idea in the works. I don't usually do shout-outs, but I'd like to acknowledge SJM who was a champ reading this whole story almost non-stop last week and reviewing every chapter - thank you. This chapter is all Phryne. The next will be the rescue and then I've decided to give you one bonus chapter, epilogue tying together some plot threads from early on. I imagine it'll be finished by late next week, so for now enjoy the musings of Miss Fisher.**

The previous night, or morning depending on whether one was coming or going, Phryne woke startled by the sounds of nature at night. She shivered and realized the source as she rolled over and noticed that the fire had turned to embers. Out of her pocket she pulled a small gold pocket watch and held it close to the light. It was three in the morning and she was quite awake and horribly stiff. Deciding that stoking the fire with some twigs would be a prudent course of action lest she catch cold, she stood and stretched walking around "camp" for some additional dried brush. _By now George would realize that I hadn't returned and would most likely be organizing a search at first light._ As she sat back down beside the fire gently easing the embers back into smoldering flames she felt a surge of guilt rise up. She knew Jack would be beside himself with worry, with guilt, and most certainly anger. _Once again you prove incapable of avoiding danger_ , he would surely be saying. But she knew that once the anger had worn away he would be left feeling guilty over their prior conversation. _Why is it that we dance so well together and yet communicate so poorly?_ She pondered. It was an easily answered question, but one she was hesitant to acknowledge because it highlighted all the things in life she avoided, her fears, her trust issues, and her weaknesses. At the end of the day, or perhaps the night, she knew if she wanted any chance at _real, genuine_ happiness she would need to allow herself to fall apart for him. _It isn't as though he hasn't seen me fall apart_ , she thought back to Jane and her sister, _he's never tried to use it against me, never tried to hurt me in anyway._ Her eyes turned back to the flames, now licking up the branches she had thrown in, completely mesmerized by the dancing light _and yet I seem to hurt him with his vulnerabilities every chance I get_.

Phryne had never been so physically isolated from another human being before, but interestingly she felt more connected to her _family_ than ever before. Her time in Paris taught her that no matter how many people you surrounded yourself with you could always be an island. In fact, she found a way to survive by thriving on her island oasis. Being thrust into society when her father inherited the title Baron of Richmond meant she had to learn how to enjoy herself even when she wanted to be somewhere else. Overtime the lines became blurred. Then came Rene and suddenly she was that girl again, from Collingwood that was never good enough for anyone. For a long while she was quite fragile and broken, but with time she rebuilt her island and became strong once again. _But to what end._ She had formed a few close relationships in the years since Rene, namely Mac and certainly Dot, _and then there was Jack_. The fire continued to crackle and clamor for more wood to continue blowing its heat. She once again got up and grabbed a large stack of dried twigs and branches and returned to her perch. She gazed up for a moment, through the trees there was a small patch of visible stars. Once again her heart felt full. With a sudden sense of determination she tossed in the wood, in a few more hours it would turn light and she could finish her mission and return to Jack - _even if I have to walk all the_ _way back to civilization_. Satisfied that the fire would continue to burn for awhile longer, Phryne took a deep breath and nestled herself back down onto her pack eventually drifting to sleep once more.

XX

When morning officially came it greeted an already awake Phryne. She didn't often take in the sunrise, but found both its warmth and light as welcoming solace. She had decided to look around the wreckage for parts she might be able to use to help repair her own plane and then do a measured grid search out for signs of Compton. She would walk 100 paces in each direction and return to the wreckage, ensuring she herself didn't whined up lost as well. By mid-morning she had covered nearly two-thirds of her search area with nothing much to go on. _Perhaps he decided he was better off leaving camp and looking for help or food, it had been quite some time since the crash…maybe he had given up hope._ She shuttered at the thought, she knew he would have a pistol on him, airmen during the war were given them to ensure information didn't reach the enemies. She didn't think him capable of taking his own life, but after being in the outback for over a week she knew it could drive the fiercest of men to the edge of insanity and beyond.

About twenty minutes later, she pushed through a small break in the trees shocked to see what appeared to be a man's boot. "Compton?!" she yelled hoping her brain wasn't beginning to play tricks on her. The boot didn't stir. She braced herself for the possible sight as she pushed the shrubs aside and took her first look at the man on the ground. Beside him was his air cap with a few berries in it. _Looks like he had gone out looking for food and collapsed_. "Compton." she said again shaking him, hoping to find him just nodding off. She didn't gain a response. She placed two fingers on his neck checking for a pulse. At first she felt nothing. She leaned in close to his chest and swore she felt shallow breathing on her face. She pressed her fingers harder and waited. _There!_ A slightly and thready pulse. It wasn't a good sign, but she could work with it. Her ambulance training kicked in immediately. She looked him over, it appeared that his right side did suffer damage from the crash, as the gash in the plane had suggested to her earlier. His face, arm and leg all appeared to suffer lacerations at varying depths. More concerning however, was the wound bleeding from his side. _Damn, he could have damaged his liver_. She knew from the war that an injury to that area could easily be fatal. She searched around for anything to help her administer care. She had her water on her, but no gauze or other pads. Phryne shook her head annoyed at her lack of preparation. _Nothing to do about it now_. She took the flying scarf that she had on and untangled it from her neck. She shoved it into his wound applying her body to the site hoping that the pressure would help slow the bleeding. "Compton. I need you to open your eyes. I need to know that you're still with me." For the first time since she came upon him, his eyes fluttered but did not open. _Well it's a start_. She knew that after pressure to the wound that fluids would be the next order of business. He was losing blood volume which was causing his pressure to drop and lead to the thready pulse. She crouched towards him and whispered in his ear, "Compton. I know you're in there. I need you to open your eyes. I'm going to help you, but I need you to open your eyes." Again they fluttered. Running short of ideas, she kissed him. It was a chaste, friendly kiss nothing like the one she had shared with Jack two nights ago. "Compton. If you don't wake up I'm going to have waste all this water dousing you in the face. C'mon! Open your eyes." It worked, his eyes flitted open for a moment. The look on his face was one of confusion. He was sure he heard Phryne's voice but didn't know how or why she would be there. _Am I dead?_ He wondered. His eyes were still trying to focus. The light was bright, but everything was fuzzy. He tried to move, but felt a heavy weight on him. "Shh Compton. Don't move just yet. You've lost some blood, I'm trying to stop the bleeding from your abdomen." _There was that voice again_. He felt someone left up his head. "Here drink some water." A bottle was lifted to his lips and he felt the cool dampness quench his dry mouth. "Slowly." Phryne pulled away the bottle giving him a chance to catch his breath. Compton opened his eyes again, the world coming into slightly better focus now. He blinked a few more times realizing that he wasn't dreaming or dying, The Honorable Miss Phryne Fisher was holding his head up with one hand and leaning on his side with the other. He tried to speak but his mouth was still too dry. "Shh. Don't waste your energy trying to talk. I need to get you back to camp." He nodded too weak to argue.

She knew that she was only a good 15 minute walk back to camp, but she wouldn't be able to carry him the whole way. As unpleasant as thought was, she was going to have to drag him. "Hang on a minute. I need to gather a few things before I can move you." She stood up and disappeared from Compton's view. _Think Phryne, Think._ She spotted a bush that had long grass strands. _It isn't the best, but I could at least use this to pack the wound some and tightly tie the scarf around him._ She hurried back to Compton and got back to work attending to the wound. "Alright, I'm going to have to drag you back to camp. I warn you it won't be pleasant, but I'll do my best to avoid too many rocks." Compton outweighed her by about 35 kilos, and although it was only 15 minutes it would be a great deal of work without having much energy. She was rationing her food, in case she needed it to last longer than anticipated, and now it would seem that was prudent. Without further thought, she grabbed him by his lapels, turned him around, and began the long and arduous journey back to camp ignoring the groans of pain coming from below.

While it took her 15 minutes to walk from camp to him, it took nearly 30 to get back. When she finally saw the glint of the wreckage she found herself more glad that the first time she had found it. She had Compton and he was alive. _Check one thing off my list, now onto the getting us out of here task._ Phryne was exhausted and extremely thirsty, but her water supply was running low and she knew that Compton would need it more. So she limited herself to two small gulps of water and turned her attention back to the patient. She pulled out her small medical kit and went to work on a proper bandage for his wound. When she had finally taken off his jacket and shirt she was able to get her first proper view of his injuries. The laceration on his abdomen wasn't particularly long, but it did appear deep. It seems that it has been slowly oozing blood since the accident, like he was punctured by a piece of shrapnel that has kept him from bleeding out immediately, but was still leaving him losing blood. She packed the wound with gauze and re-wrapped her scarf around him as tightly as possible. Satisfied that he was no longer in immediate danger she grabbed the water bottle and lifted his head to get some fluids in him. With his shirt off she could see how pale he was, he also shivered slightly. _Shock may be setting in, I better get that fire back_. "Compton, I'm going to get some wood and rebuild this fire. I'll be back in a few minutes. And then I'd like you to try and take a few bites of food. You're going to need your energy if we are to get out of here."

Awhile later, Phryne had the fire going and had managed to get Compton to take a few bites of an oatmeal biscuit that she had been saving. He was still pale but his color was vastly improved. After a few more sips of water, Compton felt as though he could finally speak.

"Phryne." His words were barely a whisper, but she heard it nonetheless.

"Compton. Please save your energy. You can regal me with your tales when we get you safely to hospital."

"Please. I need to say thank you."

She was going to tell him it was no big deal, but thought better of it, "You're welcome." She followed it with a grin, "And now we are even."

It made him chuckle a little, which in turned made him cough and wince from the pain in his side. "No laughing."

"Agreed. And perhaps next time, you could find a better place to put your plane down. It took forever to find you! Such the ordeal and naturally Jack is upset that I've gone chasing after you. Although I would hardly call it chasing when it is a rescue mission."

Compton tried to hide the grimace on his face, which had nothing to do with pain, but rather the reminder of Detective Inspector Jack Robinson. "Are you together?"

"Ah well isn't that the rub. The short answer is no. The long answer is probably."

He gave her a questioning look, rather confused by her response.

"Well since I need to keep you awake and you shouldn't really be talking, I guess I can share all the thoughts swirling around in my head for a little while. But then I really must figure out how I'm going to get us out of here." She knew they would only have a few more hours of daylight and should really be using the time figuring out how she was going to fix her plane, but she was exhausted from the day's activities and needed the rest. "Well it all started when my father showed up on my doorstep a few months back…"


	20. Chapter 20

**AN: Sorry for the delay in getting this up, I know I promised it two weeks ago but finals got in the way of best laid plans (pun intended). I had some trouble with this chapter because I wanted to pick up the pace to get where we are going, so it may seem a bit forced at times apologies...I'm not sure when the final chapter will post as I leave for London soon, but to those worried I do plan to complete this story so hang in there.** **Also, if you were a JAG fan you may find a small reference from one of my favorite episodes.**

George began circling the area where Phryne was searching for the the RAAF plane looking for the spot where Miss Fisher might have landed. After a few minutes, he found a clearing and spotted her plane, even from this height he could tell that she had had a hard landing.

"Down there!" George yelled to Jack who looked over the side and nodded in acknowledgment.

"I'm going to try and put us down further away where the clearing opens up more. Hold on it could be bumpy."

As George titled the plane downwards he could see the trees that created trouble for Miss Fisher's plane. He pulled up slightly to avoid hitting anything, the last thing they needed was for a third plane to get stranded out here. A minute later the plane came to a stop after a few rough bounces. The two climbed out of the plane and took a moment to observe their surroundings and get their bearings.

"I think we should do a thorough check of her plane and assess the extent of the damage."

"Agreed, I brought a few items with me but I doubt it will be an easy fix."

Once Miss Fisher's plane came into view George found he had a new appreciation for the aviatrix. Considering her trajectory she was lucky to have only suffered damage to one wing. It wasn't flyable, but in far better shape than one would expect.

"Is it something you can fix?"

"Yes, but not here. See here the tears in the wing? I need metal sheets to be able to fix this damage and without it she won't fly."

Jack had guessed that would be the case, but knowing little to nothing about planes he figured it was worth the ask.

"Ok, so then we will have to make two trips to get us all out." George nodded and pulled out their map.

"Based on what we saw from the air and Miss Fisher's reports we need to go this direction. It shouldn't be that far of a hike, 30-45 minutes maybe." They grabbed their packs that contained food, water, and a first aid kit and headed off.

xx

An hour later Phryne felt physically recovered, but emotionally exhausted. Finally saying everything she had been thinking and feeling for years left her feeling overwhelmed. _A good dry run, perhaps._ For Compton's sake she left out certain graphic feelings she had towards Jack, and despite their past encounter he seemed genuinely understanding and supportive.

"You know who you should be saying all this to Phryne, right?"

She let out a deep sigh, "Yes." They had so many interrupted moments together, so many near kisses, almost conversations, and close calls that it often seemed that fate had determined they shouldn't be together. After their encounter with the All-Knowing Mrs. Bolkonski she knew better than to believe in such things.

"It just never seems like the right moment Lyle."

"C'mon Phryne. You know as well as me that if you really wanted something you wouldn't let anything get in the way of that. So what is it then? Why is their never a right moment? Is it because deep down you don't want the _forever_ that Jack is offering, wanting?"

She turned back at him eyes wide. _Was he not listening to me for the last hour, I just poured my heart out. All the reasons that I want to be with Jack._ "I do go after what I want Compton, but even I take care in handling a delicate situation." She said trying to pull back the frustration his words had brought. Compton could see the fire growing in her eyes and tried to hide the smile from his face. _Just a little further should do it_.

"Yes, you can be the authority on discretion. I wasn't suggesting that you don't know how to tread lightly when a situation warranted such, but it doesn't seem like you to let the society pages dictate whether or not you go out with someone. I mean I don't see how going on a few dates is going to bring any ill will to your Detective Inspector, after a few months people will have forgotten about the whole thing. Look at you and I, we're still friends. Hell you went out of your way to come rescue me!"

She was beginning to feel flustered, Compton was getting under her skin in a way few knew how. She was struggling to keep her composure. "That is different," she muttered in a low voice.

"Different. How is what we had once any different than what you feel towards Jack? Tell me because it doesn't seem like it."

"It just is."

"How is it?"

"Because I'm in love with him" she exclaimed more loudly that she expected. _Did I just say that? Out loud?_

Compton finally let the smile show freely on his face, he knew if he challenged her in just the right way she would finally admit what she had been circling around for the last hour. By the look on her face she had never said the words out loud, perhaps never fully saying them even to herself.

Before either had a chance to process what just happened, they heard someone calling their names.

"Phryne! Phryne!"

"Jack!"

Phryne got up and rushed over towards the sound of Jack's voice, thinking that it might be an auditory mirage, but hoping that she hadn't grown that delirious from the lack of food and water.

As Jack came upon the clearing his eyes saw the wreckage and then a woman rushing towards him. Before he had a chance to react to her charge and plant himself firmly she just about knocked them both to the ground with her embrace. Jack was admittedly caught off-guard, while he dreamed about having such a moment with her he was also aware of their situation and the onlookers.

"How did you…" "Are you ok" they both spoke over each other. Jack gave a slight nod giving her the right of way.

"How did you know where I was?"

"Well George" he pointed to the man still trying to catch his breath from their furious jog through the outback, "and I fixed up his plane and we flew to the area that he said you had been searching. He spotted your plane in the clearing. It was all George. Are you okay? Where's Compton?"

"I'm fine, a bit hungry but otherwise in one piece. Compton is alive, but injured he needs to be taken to hospital." Miss Fisher turned and gestured to a shaded area where she had made camp the night before. "He's right over here."

Jack and George followed Phryne the few yards to Compton. Jack wasn't sure what the man's reaction would be when he saw him, considering their last meeting he wasn't expecting any warm greeting. Much to his surprise and despite his pale complexion Compton raised his hand slightly, as much as the pain and weakness would allow, to shake with Jack. The man had a strange expression on his face that Jack chalked up to being stranded out here for days.

"George looked over your plane, and it doesn't appear to be an easy fix. We'll have to fly in and out a few times to get us all out of here. Are you stable enough to be transported?" He asked of Compton.

"Yes, but I don't think I can provide much assistance. I can't walk. How far is it your plane?"

"About 2 kilometers," responded George. It was the first thing George had spoken since finding the pair. Phyrne turned to him and gave a wide smile to the man. _I owe him a fine bottle of Scotch for his troubles_.

"I think we could fashion a small stretch and carry him out. There's some sturdy branches around here and if we rip apart the leather seats from the plane we could put it all together." Miss Fisher's former training as a medic was kicking in.

George and Jack set down their bundles and looked around assessing the possibility of Phryne's plan.

"Seems reasonable to me. It is going to be dark in about three hours so we need to make quick work of this if we want to get Compton out of here tonight."

"Agreed" she responded giving a smile and nod to Jack. _We're always stronger when we are working together_.

An hour later the trio had managed to fashion a make-shift stretcher.

"Alright Compton. I can't promise this will be a very comfortable evening, but will get you out of here as quickly and safely as we can."

"Thank you Inspector."

"Jack, please call me Jack."

Jack and George rolled Compton onto the stretcher while Phryne grabbed their bags. While the supplies were heavy they agreed that it would be best for her to carry those instead of assist with Compton. She would have the free hand to help navigate back to the planes. It took nearly two hours to get back to George's plane. Jack felt like he was in pretty good shape, but helping carry someone 2km really made him feel that he needed to get back into the gym when they returned. Poor George, was huffing and puffing the whole way back. Jack tried to carry the brunt of the weight by taking the head-end of the stretcher, but Compton was still a full-sized man who despite his days in the outback weighed like a full-size man. When they finally made it to the clearing the sun had just begun to set.

"We need to hurry George, better to take off while there's still some light." Phryne dropped her heavy load to the ground with a loud thud. Jack knew that the bags had to weigh close to 40lbs and that her shoulders and body must ache from the journey. Not to mention her slightly weakened state. He shook his head, he would have all evening and morning to think about that, but right now they needed to load Compton into the plane.

"Okay Lyle. We need you to stand so we can get you up. Lean on me, and Jack will help pull you up."

George got into the cockpit while Jack maneuvered to the other side of the plane to help get Compton situated. He grabbed the man under his arms and gave a big pull while Phryne helped push him up. It wasn't the most graceful scene, but it got the job done.

"Miss Fisher can you get her started? Jack please make sure he's all buckled in safely."

As Jack leaned in to help Compton get as comfortable as possible he whispered something into his ear. Jack couldn't make it out and turned to the man, "What is it Compton?"

"Contact" Phryne yelled as she pulled down at the propeller. "She loves you." The engine came to life and Jack had to jump off the wing. He looked at Compton with surprise, and staggered back as the plane began to jerk and stutter forward. George gave a wave and shout and just like that she as off the ground.

Phryne moved closer to Jack as the two watched the plane shrink and disappear.

"You did it Phryne, you did it." While he didn't approve of her methods and the reckless way she went about it, he had to admit he was proud of her. She set her mind to doing something and she did it. When everyone even the Air Force had given up hope she hadn't, _stubborn as an emu_ , he mused to himself.

She turned and smiled back at him. Her eyes sparkled. Despite her exhaustion she felt elated. Compton would get help and tomorrow she and Jack could get back to town and then hopefully back home. She gave a loud audible sigh and twirled reveling in the moment. Jack loved watching her smile and live in the moment, something he struggled with at times, but the sky was turning darker and the reality was that they were still stuck in the outback for another evening.

"I hate to bring us back down to reality, but I think we should get a fire going." She stopped spinning and turned to him, his words had the desired effect. _One challenge done, another to go. Perhaps this evening would be more pleasant than last_. She thought thinking about the preferred choice in bedfellows. _Hmm…it will get dark and cold, we will need to stick close together to stay warm._ As her mind drifted a mischievous grin played at her lips.

Jack didn't miss the sly smile and knew where her mind had gone, if he was honest his had gone there too. _Maybe all we ever needed was a night alone in the outdoors to come together_.


	21. Chapter 21

Beneath the stars and the glowing fire Phryne looked as beautiful as ever. Her usual neatly kept coif was messy and had bits of nature clinging to it. He couldn't remember a time when he had seen her face so natural, free of any make-up. She looked simply stunning although Jack was sure she would beg to differ, but he couldn't help but think that her smile was the most genuine and free of motivation at that moment. Normally, her face gave her away, she was always after something always with a plan, but now it was just her. He realized in that moment that it was as if he was looking at her nude, in her most base form and he found himself falling more deeply in love for her.

Phryne paused from her long story about what happened with her father and the adventure of finding Compton to catch Jack staring at her. She lowered her head and gave a shy smile, it was out of character, but everything about this evening was out of the norm.

"Jack" she spoke softly.

He didn't seem to register that she was speaking to him, so she repeated herself a bit louder, "Jack." Her voice was so melodic, between the crackling of the fire and her dulcet tones he felt himself fall into a deep state of relaxation one could have argued it bordered on trance. She repeated herself once more, "Jack." With a deep sigh he pulled himself out and nodded in acknowledgement.

"You aren't Madame President of the Adventuress Club without reason." He said with a low chuckle. She immediately smiled wide, "Well yes Jack the club wouldn't be a club without sufficient stories to fill it."

"Perhaps, you should allow the others some opportunity to contribute in the coming weeks, and take a small break from adventures." He knew she would hate hearing such a thing, but for his part he had had enough adventure to last a lifetime.

"Jack, you know I could never walk away from a good car race or mountain to climb, but" she paused, "I may need to take a brief hiatus from flying seeing as how my current plane is a total loss."

He knew that would be as much of a compromise as he could ever get from her, and he would accept it. It came with the territory. Loving her meant being ready to let go of her.

They sat in silence for awhile longer, the fire burning down to hot coals and emitting just a soft light. They could barely see each other now, and it made them begin to feel anonymous and free to speak their inner most thoughts.

Jack was the first to break the silence, "I'm sorry."

"Me too."

"I keep promising myself that I won't get jealous. That I won't question your motivations. You asked me to come after you, but really I should have waited for you."

"Thank goodness you didn't otherwise I might have been out here for quite awhile." She responded despite knowing what Jack really meant by waiting.

"That's not what I…"

"I know Jack. Nonetheless I am grateful. I hope you know that."

"I do Phryne, I do. I hope you don't feel too cross with me."

"Did you get my letter?"

"Eventually." He chuckled. "Perhaps next time you could find a more secure location to post your mail."

That brought a smile to her face, he enjoyed making her smile.

"So you aren't cross with me. I think I've given you every right to be."

"As have I Miss Fisher, as have I."

"Shall we call a truce?"

"Shake on it?"

They reached their arms out towards one another shaking hands over the fire. The warmth of the fire and closeness made them both shutter.

"Shall I put some more wood on the fire? I wouldn't want you to catch cold."

"Probably a good idea to stoke it a bit before we bed down. You do know how important it is to keep close on a night like tonight, body heat for self-preservation."

"Is that what you modern women are calling it these days, self-preservation?"

That made her smile again, he felt like he was on a roll. This is how their meeting a few evenings ago should have gone. They were finally feeling relaxed with one another, being so far from civilization, prying eyes and proper ways had its advantages.

"Sounds appropriately fitting to me," she threw back at him. Enjoying the return of their flirtatious bantering it had been weeks since they had enjoyed each other's company in such a manner.

As Jack got up to add sticks to the fire she took advantage of the opportunity to move to the other side of the fire to be closer to him. When Jack turned to sit he nearly fell back having not noticed her cat-like maneuvers to be nearer to him.

"You move like a cat Miss Fisher."

"You have no idea Jack."

Going on the offensive, he threw his arm around her back and pulled her closer to him. She nearly fell herself this time, not expecting him to be so bold, so forward. Having immediately gained her composure she leaned into him and they grew quiet, eyes entranced once again with the fire.

Neither were sure how much time had passed before the silence was finally broken, it was her turn this time.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too."

They became quiet again. Time continued to pass and the fire continued to burn down. The fire continued to hypnotize both of them. Jack reached his hand up to the nap of her neck and began rubbing it. Her muscles felt tight and for a moment he thought he sensed her tense upon his touch, but almost immediately he felt her whole body slack against him. Her body now leaning against his shoulder, giving him better access to her neck. From this new angle he could smell her hair, despite the lengthy adventure he could still make out the faint scent of her perfume. His brain was jarred out of its dreamlike state by the little moans escaping from below.

"Jack I always guessed you had strong hands, but I have a brand new appreciation for the delicate pressure they provide. How have I missed out on this knowledge for so long?"

"They never had a free opportunity I suppose." He said into her hair continuing his musings.

Quiet swept over them again. Jack sensed Phryne's body grow more slack, more from sleep than from his massage. He turned so her head leaned into his chest and took both hands to cradle her head as he laid her back onto the ground. As he removed his hands from her neck his hands caressed her cheek. He leaned in and left a delicate kiss upon her lips. As he moved away he heard her muttering.

"I love you Jack."

He couldn't believe is ears. He desperately wanted to wake her and ask her to repeat it. Despite his urges he thought it was best to not disturb her. He wasn't sure how much rest she had received over the last several nights and if her body was calling her to sleep now, it was best to let her.

Jack returned to his seat by the fire and stoked it a bit more. He had long guessed that she had deep feelings for him, ever since their conversation after closing the murder of the automobile racer. _What was it that she had said? "If you did that I would feel like it was you in that car Jack." He thought that might be as close as they would ever come to a frank conversation about their feelings for one another._ Always vague, beating around the bush, despite their individual strengths neither was willing to open themselves to old wounds or new love. Jack began to grow drowsy. He added a few more bits of wood into the fire, satisfied that it would last them into the morning. He laid down besides Phryne. Rolling onto his side pressing himself against her back, felt so natural, so comfortable despite being unfamiliar territory. If he was honest with himself, he had missed sharing company at night, and not just in the strict physical sense although he certainly missed that as well. With a last deep sigh he wrapped an arm around her and fell asleep.

Phryne had no idea of the time which she rolled over and found herself face to face with Jack. The sun wasn't up yet, but the moon had set so morning would be here soon. She wanted it to last, this moment together. Part of her hoped that George wouldn't be able to get to them for another day. As much as she wanted a bath and the creature comforts of home, she knew she wasn't likely to get another raw, private moment with Jack. _Well at least not like this_. She certainly hoped that more private moments would be in their future, but if this experience had shown her nothing else, it is that life and love exist in a delicate balance. A balance that one should take advantage of every moment when presented.

Not knowing quite how he would take to a bold move in his sleep, she pressed on. She pushed away strands of his hair from his face to get a more clear look at him. He looked peaceful this night. She had seem him sleep before, but those times involved too much whiskey or the stress of a case. This time though he seemed natural, relaxed which was surprising given the circumstances of their current sleeping arrangements. She leaned forward and placed a kiss on his lips, she couldn't help herself. His eyes fluttered and she couldn't tell if he was dreaming or if she had woken him. Devilishly curious she wanted to test her hypothesis and leaned forward again, this time kissing him a bit deeper than before. Again his eyes fluttered but did not open. While she was sure he needed his sleep, she was growing a bit impatient. She put a hand to his cheek and kissed him again even more passionately. His mouth parted slightly, catching her off guard, quickly recovering she parted her lips and their kiss deepened as it had a few nights ago before all hell broke out. Desperate for air, she reluctantly pulled back, she glanced at his eyes again and noticed them fluttering but still not open. _Either he is a sleep kisser or he's faking it_. Curious to explore this mystery further she took it upon herself to gather some additional evidence.

Her hand moved down his chest and began unbuttoning his shirt. She looked up and still no signs of waking.

With a few buttons undone she grazed her fingernails against his exposed skin. She thought she heard a gasp catch in his throat, thinking she had caught him she quickly glanced up, but still nothing.

Then she had an idea. During one of their last cases he had lightly touched her neck and it sent chills down her spine. She bowed her head and began placing light kiss down his throat to his collarbone. She could feel him shutter, she looked at his face while she continued and caught him looking at her through hooded eyes. _Ha! I knew it._ Before she could rejoice in her success, she found herself being rolled over and he was suddenly on top of her. Wanting to regain the higher ground she challenged him "I see you are awake."

"Yes, it was the strangest thing. I was dead asleep and then suddenly I felt an insect or something trailing down my neck. Woke me up with a fright. I was so startled that I wanted to ensure your protection. One never can be to sure what spiders might be lurking in the outback at night."

Her face suddenly paled. In all this time, she hadn't once thought about the spiders that might be here. He chuckled.

"Not funny, Jack" she said through gritted teeth.

"Are you frightened Miss Fisher? Should I hold you up off the ground until George returns, just be safe?"

"Not necessary Jack. I'm sure the fire will keep any pests away," she said trying to regain her composure. Jack meanwhile enjoyed catching her fully off guard. While he had been asleep during her initial sensual assault, he had woken up by their third kiss and knew he needed to take advantage of the energy they were feeling. Before either one could compose themselves he leaned down and kissed her and she leaned up in response. As the kiss deepened it also began to speed up. Now that they were both awake neither could stand being apart. As lips separated they reconnected almost immediately. She reached up and picked up where she left off with his shirt. Jack lowered himself down resting his weight just to her side and they turned their heads to continue kissing one another. He pulled at the zipper of her jacket and snaked his hand into the space between, not wanting to fully undress her in the chilly night. She let out a small high pitched sigh, at the feeling of his chilled hand coming to rest above her breast.

"Jack"

"Mmm"

"I love you."

"What did you say" he said grinning widely before grabbing her lower lip with his teeth.

"A romantic overture."

"Say it again."

"I love you Jack Robinson."

AN: Apologies for the long delay in getting the final chapter loaded. There will be a brief epilogue that I hope to have up next week. I will now turn my attention to wrapping up More Than Meets The Eye, although I will be pulling back the original intended length of that piece to conclude with episode 7 (the tennis one) rather than through 8 and beyond. After which I will be turning my attention to a new project for a new show. Thanks to all who have followed and enjoyed this story.


	22. Epilogue

Epilogue

Morning came and eventually so did George, making good on his promise. Not only did George come, but Compton had arrange to have the RAAF send another plane to ensure they both made it out at once. Jack had been prepared to stay behind, but after their moment together he never wanted to be separated from her again.

A few days passed while Phryne was asked to give her testimony to the RAAF. She had visited Compton in hospital and found he was recovering well from his injuries. "You know you deserve a medal?" he had told her.

"Yes, well if I were a man. If I were enlisted, perhaps. But luckily for you I'm not otherwise you'd still be out there! Please do take care of yourself Lyle, I don't want to have to come back here and save you from yourself again."

"I'm not sure Jack would forgive you if you did. So I suppose for both our sakes I should keep my boots on the ground for awhile." He paused before pressing on with his curiosity. "So what exactly happened that night?"

"I think you recall Madagascar?" He smiled at her, "naturally" he responded. "Well something like that, and let's leave it." She smiled coyly at him. He knew he wouldn't get any more details from her, which was probably for the best.

"As long as you were the one giving confessions, rather than getting."

"Yes, something like that. Take care of yourself." She gave him a small kiss on his forehead and walked out. He knew it would probably be the last time he would see her. They had made good on their promises, nothing was left.

Jack had found them suitable lodging in Perth and was arranging their return journey home. He was worried that leaving the outback might cause the spell between them to break. In fact the opposite had happened, finding more comfortable surroundings only helped to deepen their connection. As much as they both wanted to take things to the next level beneath the remaining stars as dawn approached they'd agreed it wasn't the time or place. The last thing they needed was to complicate their relationship in nine months or so. Jack smiled as he stood out on the balcony of their room and smiled, they would have to wait another several days until they returned to St. Kilda. He was quite taken aback to find out that she had left it at home. They had no understanding, no agreement to wait for one another. He of course had every intent, as he had done for the last two years of their relationship to wait for her. But he hadn't expected nor asked her to discontinue the parade. The fact that she had done that on her own, had made the decision and went as far as removing temptation said a lot about how far they had come. He wanted to tell her how much he loved her, but knew that was not the moment. He didn't want her to think he loved her because she left it at home.

Jack turned back into the room and assessed the table and candles he had set out, with the help of the hotel. It was their last night in Perth and he wanted freeze time, so he planned a romantic evening in. They had spent a lot of time together, alone since their adventure in the outback. He felt a bit sad that they hadn't taken in Perth, but smiled when she said, "Jack we can come back for a proper vacation. Perhaps to celebrate."

xx

Back in Melbourne, Dot had received several reassuring telegrams from Miss Fisher informing her of her latest adventure. Dot was relieved to say the least, and even more intrigued by the cryptic mention of her and Jack in the outback together. She wasn't one to pry into anyone's affairs, and certainly not Miss Fisher's but she would be lying if she wasn't hopeful that they had finally come to the same conclusion that the rest of them had come to years ago. Dot had arranged to have Burt and Cec meet their train at the station when they arrived tomorrow afternoon.

In the time that Jack had been out looking for Miss Fisher, Dot had provided Hugh with some assistance in tracking down Miss Hazel Beck and resolve the murder at the docks and Hazel's flat. It had taken sometime to string all the clues together, but Dot's suspicious about poison had been confirmed by Mac. Mr. Deroix had gone to the docks with the intent to kill the man. He had received a letter from Hazel telling him of the danger she faced and how scared she was. He had been set-up to take the fall. What Mr. Deroix didn't know was that Hazel had always intended for both her lovers to die. She had poisoned them both and wanted them to get into a knife fight, figuring the cops would chalk it up to another scuffle at the docks.

Hazel boarded a train to Sydney after she heard that Jules Deroix had been arrested. He was a big man and she had underestimated the time it would take for the poison to take effect. She was worried that he would tell them about her, but couldn't risk going to the station to find out.

Dot was the one that broke the case wide open. Hugh was working late again, filling in for the departed Inspector, and she spent the time reviewing her case notes and flipping through the book Miss Fisher had left for her. It turned out to be a thallium poisoning, very uncommon and not one that was high on Dr. MacMillian's initial list of compounds to test. In any case, Dot found the case to be quite fulfilling, if not tragic, but she enjoyed working closely with her husband on the case and how they dove into things with Mac. She figured that had Miss Fisher been there they would have figured it all out sooner, but nonetheless she enjoyed the opportunity to take the lead on an investigation.

xx

The train ride was as long as Jack remembered, but infinitely more enjoyable. He couldn't help but chuckle at her restlessness, at every stop she practically bolted off to walk around the platform and stretch her legs. When the train first left Perth they looked like a couple of newlyweds returning from a honeymoon. Their hands intertwined. Bodies close. In constant private conversation. To anyone on the train these were two people madly in love with one another. Phryne was actually surprised with how much public affection Jack was comfortable in sharing, he always seemed such a private man. Despite their close proximity during cases they rarely shared any touches, intimate or otherwise. She noticed however, that the closer they got to Melbourne the less affectionate he was becoming, returning to his reserved self.

The train had one more stop before they reached their final destination. Miss Fisher knew that Dot had made transportation arrangements for them upon their arrival, she was looking forward to seeing everyone again but mostly she wanted to be home. She wanted to sleep in a bed that didn't move, take a hot bath, and perhaps convince Jack to relax in the parlor with some whiskey for the evening. Mostly she wanted more time with Jack, more time to explore this new intimacy.

"Jack."

"Hmm."

"Is everything alright?"

"Of course. Why do you ask?"

"Well it just seems like you've been tensing up the closer we approach home." She grabbed his hand and held it tightly and stared deeply at him. "Are you concerned?" She looked down at their hands seeing his eyes follow hers.

"Concerned by us? No, never. I just want to protect this." He kissed her hand. "I want sometime for us to enjoy being us, without prying eyes or cameras."

She knew he was speaking of Barnes. Her position in society meant that keeping any relationship quiet would be a challenge, but she understood what Jack meant. She too wanted to enjoy being the two of them. The thought of that made her smile.

"So what do you want to do when we arrive in Melbourne?"

He kissed her hand again before responding, "Well outwardly let's just continue with business as usual. Privately though things can be a bit more personal."

"Personal indeed. I will hold you to that. You may have a lot to make up with after a long day working on a case together."

"Don't I know it." He said chuckling. He knew resisting her flirtations now would be an even greater challenge. He also figured she would up her game. _Well two can play at that_.

xx

The train finally pulled into the station and came to a stuttered stop. Phryne stood and gave a good long stretch while Jack grabbed their small set of luggage. When they got off the train Phryne turned to Jack to give him one last kiss before they returned to their unattached public personas. She gave a quick look around taking in the crowds of people disembarking, figuring they were safe.

Burt, Cec, Dot, Hugh, and Mac all showed up at the station to give their friends a warm welcome. As the crowds began to clear out Dot was the first to spot Miss Fisher climbing onto the platform. She waved her hands and began to shout, but the noise from the train was still too loud. The others noticing that Dot had located their intrepid travelers, also began to wave. Jack was setting the luggage down when Phryne grabbed his lapels and pulled herself closer to him.

"One for the road." She said softly before placing her lips on his. The kissed deeply for several seconds.

Hugh being the tallest of the group was the first to catch the kiss. "Dottie are you sure that is Miss Fisher and the Inspector?"

"Of course I am Hugh! Why would you say such a thing?"

Before anyone else could respond they saw what Hugh was seeing, a long passionate embrace. Their cheers for their return quickly turned into a low "oh" with Dot putting her hands over her mouth fighting back a loud squeal that might break the spell.

"One for the road indeed," he smiled at her cheekily. He then peered around her to see a mostly emptied platform and their friends staring at them.

"So much for trying to keep this under wraps."

Phryne spun around and saw what Jack was seeing. She quickly composed herself and whispered back to Jack to pretend like nothing happened, just smile and nod.

"Dottie! Mac!" She exclaimed while waving. "So wonderful to see you all, I wasn't expecting such a robust welcoming party." She glanced back to Jack who was smiling and nodding vigorously.

Burt and Cec were shaken from their stunned state by Dot who was gesturing towards Jack's bags. "Ya let me help you with that Inspector."

"Thank you Cec."

Phryne sensing a barrage of questions began to move forward tugging Mac with her, hoping the others would follow. She didn't want to create an even larger scene on the platform that she and Jack had already done.

"You're blushing." Mac whispered in Phryne's ear. She shot a glare that quickly turned into a smile, "am not."

"Right. Right. You're just flushed from all the travels."

"Yes of course."

"About time." Mac squeezed onto her friends arm as they walked to the cab together. Phryne turned and smiled again, this time she was beaming.


End file.
